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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24094288">into the stars she goes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/velannacousland/pseuds/velannacousland'>velannacousland</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mass Effect: Andromeda</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abuse of italics, F/M, cursing, platonic vetra love, slight AU, vetra worship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:00:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>32,103</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24094288</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/velannacousland/pseuds/velannacousland</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It was never just Scott, or just Sara. It was always ScottandSara. They always did things together. He the face of the duo, her in the support role. She was fine with that, thankyouverymuch.</p>
<p>So when her dad dies and Scott's naptime is indefinitely extended, Sara has to do all this shit herself. And she doesn't know what she's doing so she has to fake all of this and it's <i>not fair</i> and the one thing she knows for certain is that <i>she didn't sign up for this shit</i> and that should become the motto of her life.Follows roughly canon storyline with my spin on everything</p>
<p>(in which the author plays fast and loose with canon).</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Liam Kosta/Female Ryder | Sara</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. i didnt sign up for this shit</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>not beta-read</p>
<p>chapters will get longer i promise</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sara didn’t sign up for this shit.</p>
<p>That’s what she’s telling herself when she’s in free fall on Habitat 7, what she’s telling herself when she’s fighting some triangle face aliens, what she’s telling herself when her dad takes off his helmet and puts it on her, sacrificing his life to save hers. What she’s telling herself when she’s made Pathfinder, over the obvious choice of Cora. In Sara’s life, when it rains it pours and she wants to stomp her feet like a 5 year old and ask the universe what she did to deserve all this.</p>
<p>She’s supposed to do all this with her brother, who’s currently in cryo-sleep and unable to help her. She glowers at the pod containing said asshole, as if that will suddenly wake him up. This adventure was supposed to be ScottandSara’s, but one half is currently sleeping and <em> will not wake up. </em></p>
<p><em> Don’t worry, </em> said the fuckface, <em> it’ll be ok! </em>Said the mother fucker before cryo-sleep, who is currently not awake.</p>
<p>Sara narrows her eyes at the pod further. If this was supposed to happen to anyone, it should have happened to Scott. Scott actually signed up for this shit; he would have been thrilled at all the twist and turns this one day brought (how much shit can we shove in one day? No one asked). He would have stepped into the role of Pathfinder flawlessly as if he was born into it. Scott is the charismatic part of ScottandSara, Sara was the support. She loved to be behind the scenes, making sure whatever plan Scott had in mind came to fruition. She lived in the shadows, clearing out any obstacles and ending anybody who stood in his way.</p>
<p>So when Scott signed up for the Andromeda Initiative, because he is <em> noble </em> and <em> kind </em> and <em> whatever, </em>Sara signed up with the quickness. Wherever he went, she followed because Scott would be the one to throw himself on a sword to save a puppy or some shit. Sara was the one in the side wings making sure there was no sword to throw himself on.</p>
<p>Sara, who’s sporting a black eye and blood in her dark brown hair, clenches her fists and barely resists the urge of throwing a hissy fit in the middle of med-bay.</p>
<p>A heavy hand lands on her shoulder. Another urge to punch whoever it is barely squashed. How dare some asshole interrupt her internal temper tantrum. </p>
<p>“Uh, so Director Addison and company wants to see us.” It’s only Liam, who seems too kind hearted to punch. Even though she’s only known him for a day, it would almost be like punching puppies. Or kittens. Or babies. </p>
<p>Director “My Face Is Tired” Addison, however, is a different story. <em> She </em>has a face that’s punchable, which is very very tempting. Sara huffs, sticking up out her lower lip to blow a piece of hair that fell out of her pony tail. “Do I have to?”</p>
<p>It’s not a whine, it’s a high pitched complaint. <em> There’s a difference. </em></p>
<p>Liam laughs, hand still on her shoulder, and turns her around to face the exit. “You have to face the beast sometime.” He pushes her a little, which is her cue to start walking. “Gotta do Pathfinder shit.”</p>
<p>Sara throws her head back, walking through the exit. She lets out a high pitched whine (complaint) as she walks into the tram. Still looking at the ceiling, she sighs “I didn’t sign up for this shit.”</p>
<p>Liam laughs again. “What, you don’t want the adventure and glory of first colonization?”</p>
<p>The screen gets a glare on the same level as Scott’s cryo-pod as she stabs her finger on the Nexus bubble. “That’s Scott’s area of expertise. He has speeches written and everything.” Another laugh from Liam. Sara is beginning to think Liam loves to laugh.</p>
<p>“Why not steal some of those from him?”</p>
<p>“Because,” she starts as she throws herself into the chair “Scott has the face for it. And the charisma. And the everything for guts and glory. I could read it and people would claw their ears out. Scott could read it and people would throw their panties at him and faint.”</p>
<p>“That’s a little dramatic. I’m sure you’re not that bad.” Liam responds, leaning against the wall of the tram.</p>
<p>Sara sends her best glare so far of the day towards Liam, who doesn’t follow the script <em> like everything else in her life </em>and instead of being apologetic, he just smiles even wider.</p>
<p>“Let me get all my dramatics out so I can pretend to be an adult or something in front of everybody.” Says Sara as Liam laughs <em> again. </em> Sara wonders how one can be so happy.</p>
<p>They arrive too soon at the command center. Sara sees Director Addison, her favorite person, and mumbles ‘go get fucked you tired ass bitch’ under her breath as she walks up. Liam, standing slightly behind Sara, stifles a laugh and nudges her with his shoulder.</p>
<p>Sara puts on her Big Girl Face and smiles “What can I do for you Director Addison?”</p>
<p>“Our supplies are getting low, and now we have a ‘Pathfinder’”, oh and Sara can just <em> hear </em>the quotations and imagines gouging out Addison’s eyes, “we need to start scouting out planets for possible colonization. The sooner the better.”</p>
<p>“That’s what up I signed up for!” Sara smiles brighter, bringing her voice up an octave. She definitely did not sign up for this. “Where should I start?”</p>
<p>Addison raises one eyebrow, correctly not believing Sara’s false enthusiasm. Addison points to a map on a screen, not looking away from Sara. “Eos. We’ve sent a few teams down there, but none of them took. Go down there and see what you can find.”</p>
<p>Sara frowns. “Why did none of them take?”</p>
<p>“Dust storms, scavengers, Kett, you name, it’s there.”</p>
<p>Sara frowns another frown. “Kett?” Addison huffs.</p>
<p>“Hostile aliens. They attack us with no provocation. Got bases and soldiers all over Eos and no problem with killing.”</p>
<p>“Oooh,” Sara thinks about angry aliens from Habitat 7 “triangle face guys.”</p>
<p>Addison rolls her eyes.</p>
<p>Sara dreams of ripping them out.</p>
<p>“We’ve got a ship on standby, whenever you’re ready. Now, if you don’t mind.” Addison gives a slight bow, and leaves. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>---------- </p>
<p>Vetra is awesome and amazing and glorious and everything Sara wants to be when she grows up. Sara might have a lady boner for Vetra, but Sara will sport it proudly because of how cool she finds Vetra. She can’t wait to tell Scott of her new idol.</p>
<p>Cora’s been giving Sara the stink eye since they took off for Eos when she thinks Sara isn’t looking, however Sara chooses to ignore her in favor of thinking of her impending outing on Eos. Sara still has her Big Girl Face on and gives what she thinks is an awesome speech. Not Scott quality but she’s learning.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>----------</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sara’s always hated the beach. Give the girl a mountain and she’d live there forever. The beach is as if hell was a place on Earth. At least in the mountains, you can burrow under a thousand blankets. At the beach, there’s only so many clothes you can take off before you get jailed for indecency. Then you’ll be in jail and still hot. There are sharks, and jellyfish, and other creatures willing to eat you.</p>
<p>And sand. Oh god the <em> sand. </em>It gets everywhere and no matter how much one showers, sand still shows up weeks later like the annoying relative at a family reunion (which Sara has plenty of those). </p>
<p>Sara, unfortunately, has been to the beach more than she’s been to the mountains, because she’s the only sensible one in the family. The beach was always her mom’s favorite place, and her dad always went where her mom went. Scott was their mother’s son. He loved hot weather and the ability to show off, both of which were in abundance at the beach. Sara has caught him practicing running his hand through his hair in the mirror more than once, which she never allows him to live down. Scott always loved to show off his abs at the beach, and winking at women and smiling big and wide just because he could. He relished in the attention. She hated it because of how often her female friends (and her male friends) would soon over his “sculpted abs and dreamy brown eyes”. Sara would screech and want to claw her eyes out.</p>
<p>Eos reminds her too much of the beach and it hurts. For once, it has nothing to do with the sand and everything to do with having her family alive and well. She wants to go back to simpler times.</p>
<p>She would scold herself for getting distracted, but she’s currently ass high in the air on some tower trying to scan for glyphs and thinks a recurring thought: <em> I didn’t sign up for this shit. </em></p>
<p>On top of sand, and kett, and dead bodies, and being tackled by Asarians (ok, it’s just the one), and memories of distant past, there’s robots. <em> Of fucking course </em>  there’s murdering robots, because Sara’s life <em> cannot be that easy. </em>Liam, however, fucking loves it.</p>
<p>“This is what I signed up for!” He crows as they activate the second monolith, fighting more murdering robots and kett. “Adventure!”</p>
<p>“This is not what I signed up for!” Sara cries in response, trying to avoid being burned by an Observer. “Death! And Dismemberment!”</p>
<p>Liam, Sara finds, is annoyingly optimistic. It’s like he’s read the same book on life as Scott, only Scott’s finished reading it and Liam is halfway through. Sometimes, she finds herself wanting to shove his head in the sand, because <em> maybe </em>he’ll be something other than happy and laughing because who can be happy about sand getting everywhere? </p>
<p>SAM being SAM is also not helping. Sara thinks SAM used to be a nice, helpful AI bot thing. Now he’s a sarcastic asshole AI bot thing. Sara doesn’t know if her dad programmed him to be that way, or if it’s his coping mechanism for dealing with the inner workings of Sara’s mind.</p>
<p>Cora being Cora is not helping as well. She’s not being overtly happy like Liam or overtly annoying like SAM. Cora occasionally sends her sad and/or angry looks, as if Sara personally ran over her dog and took the role of Pathfinder on purpose. Sara would <em> gladly </em>sign over Pathfinder-ship to Cora but the universe is against Sara, so that can’t happen. She can’t fault Cora for that, but seeing as they’re stuck in this situation with nothing to do about it, Sara just bears it (not grins and bears it, because she’s not happy about this) and just tries to deal with Cora’s glares.</p>
<p>The only thing keeping her sane is Vetra. If any good is to come out of this outing, it’s getting to know Vetra better, which causes her lady boner to grow into a full time lady crush. Vetra is the level of awesome Sara strives to be. The way Vetra yields sarcasm would get Sara hot and bothered in the right places if Sara was into that kind of thing.</p>
<p>They find their way to an underground lair, which according to SAM will help fix the atmosphere. If Sara <em> must </em> do this Pathfinder thing, and she <em> must </em>, she’d rather do it without the threat of mutation due to radiation. This is the first time since she woke up to a comatose brother and new responsibilities that she is willing to do something. The thought of shoving her success on Eos into Addison’s tired face is another very strong motivating factor.</p>
<p>She jumps into a gravity well (or well of varying gravity or whatever the fuck SAM calls it), activates some console, walks through a door, and stops breathing.</p>
<p>This place is <em> huge. </em>And beautiful. Simplistic in its design, but it’s simplicity doesn’t detract from the sheer beauty of this place. Sure, there’s deadly water that will melt your face off and more murdering robots, but overall the place is amazing.</p>
<p>“Woah,” Liam breathes out quietly “this place is gorgeous.” </p>
<p>“Yeah.” Sara agrees. She thinks this is the first time she’s agreed with him. She can’t wait to tell Scott about this.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>----------</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She changes her mind about the amazing-ness of this place the moment she activates the reset button, because now on top of murder robots, there’s now murder fog.</p>
<p>As she is running desperately for her life, Sara can only think of one desperate thought:</p>
<p>
  <em>I didn’t sign up for this shit!</em>
</p>
<p>A little bit later, when Sara, Liam, Vetra, Peebee, and Cora all crowd around a console which shows a map of stars and dots, Sara can feel, for the first time, her life story start to shift from what it was. She can feel it in her bones, aching, and almost as if she’s on the edge of the cliff of her old life, about to fall down into the unknown of her new life. </p>
<p>It’s dark, with yellow stars and dots which indicate more planets with monoliths and vaults and murder fog all around them. It’s beautiful in a scary way. Peebee’s getting all exciting about visiting more alien tech, Cora’s ready for the challenge to prove herself, and Vetra takes all of this with the stride of someone taking a walk on a Sunday afternoon. Sara falls more in love with Vetra.</p>
<p>Sara’s scared, because this is a big adventure, and for the first time there is no ScottandSara. Just Sara. And that’s frightening because <em> that’s never happened before. </em>She’s used to Scott taking the lead, because he would know what to say and would know what to do and can play 4D chess like a fucking champ. She’s used to her dad telling her what to do because he has experience in this shit. She’s used to her mom telling her it’ll be ok. </p>
<p>The thought of everything nearly makes her knees buckle. She wants to sit on the floor and cry about the unfairness of it all, but she’s still got her Big Girl Face on (having never taken it off since Addison) so she holds it all together and is proud of herself for it. </p>
<p>She glances around at everybody staring at the map and when she gets to Liam, he turns his head towards her the moment she looks at him. His smirk turns into another blinding grin (which Sara thinks is his trademark smile). </p>
<p>She wants to momentarily punch him because he’s looking like a kid who’s gotten his Christmas gifts early, because he signed up for this shit. He’s signed up for the adventure, for the discovery, for the unknown. She can’t bring herself to be mad because of the whole “punching puppies and kittens and babies” or some shit so she takes a deep breath and smiles back. If Sara <em> must </em> do this, and again she <em> must </em>, she might as well not sour the mood for the people who are actually enjoying themselves. She (successfully) hides her internal mental breakdown and holds the smile, reaches out and grabs his shoulder.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Come on, we got a settlement to, well, settle”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. fake it till you make it</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Still not beta-read</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>ScottandSara would have been proud of humanity’s first successful step of colonizing the Andromeda Galaxy. Scott would stand tall on something high, holding Prodromos’s flag for everyone to see, giving some rousing speech that would inspire the whole galaxy. One small step and all that. Dad would have said something to the effect of, this is one small step but there are plenty of steps to go so we must stay vigilant for our survival and blah blah.</p><p>But Scott’s still in cryo-sleep and Dad’s dead so Sara’s the only one left. Sara is not as motivating as Scott and not as determined as her dad was, Sara’s still fucking angry that’s she’s in this whole predicament to begin with. So it is with no worry that her first thought as the colony shuttles land on Eos is <em> Suck on that, Addison!  </em></p><p>Sara and her...very bizzare team look up toward the sky, shielding their eyes against the unyielding sun. The shuttle lands, and Addison steps out with some guy named Bradley, surveying the land that is to become the Andromeda Initiative’s flagship colony. </p><p>“Well Ryder, You’ve proved me wrong.” Addison says finally. Sara closes her eyes briefly to commit this moment into her long term memory. </p><p>“Thank you Director Addison.” Sara responds. If Addison can be amicable, Sara reasons that so should she. Whatever Addison can do, Sara can do better and she has made it her second life goal to do whatever it takes to prove this point. The first life goal is to make it through this clusterfuck of her life alive. This, however, is a very close second. “Seeing how new to the job I was and still am, you had every right to be cautious.” </p><p>“And you’ve given a lot of people hope.” Addison states, “However, it will take more than one post on a long shot planet to keep this going long term.”</p><p>Sara drops her shoulders and cocks her head a bit to the side, giving Addison a “of fucking course” look. Because <em> of fucking course </em> Addison has to be a bitch after their temporary truce. “Of course <em> Director. </em> Where do you suggest we start. I can handle myself just fine. Just point me in the direction and I’ll be on my way.” <em> Away from you, </em>she thinks vindictively.</p><p>“We need to determine what kind of settlement Prodromos is going to be.” Some guy named Bradley jumps in. Sara guesses he does this to stretch his mayor muscles. “Militaristic or scientific?”</p><p>They go on about this decision making a statement about the Initiative and the pros and cons of both, but the thing is Sara couldn’t give any less fucks about this than she already currently gives. She thought her job ended when she made the planet semi-habital, but apparently they also need their hands held, so the decision is in her hands. Scott and dad would know what to do, but again they’re not here and Sara doesn’t know what to do.</p><p>To make it seem like she knows what she’s doing, she asks her squad. Vetra and Liam want it to be a scientific outpost, and Cora and Drack want it to be a militaristic outpost. Since she admires Vetra so much that it borders insanity, she goes with scientific. </p><p>Then, finally, she’s allowed off this planet</p><p>—————</p><p>The first official tempest meeting occurs after they get into orbit outside Eos. Official introductions are made, and apparently Peebee wants to sleep in an escape pod because why the fuck not. At least Vetra is happy, as she deems them a “kick ass team” and ever happy Liam is just happy they didn’t get killed. Sara fervently and loudly agrees with that sentiment. Sara starts to feel herself relax, until Cora and Drack get into some pissing match. She tries to calm them down, but they’re too busy trying to prove a point to each other that they don’t even hear her. </p><p>It takes Liam getting between them and yelling “enough!” that they finally stop. “You both are on the same team, so start acting like it.” Liam demands, glaring at them one at a time “The Pathfinder calls the shots now and she needs your support so get your act together.”</p><p>“Agreed.” Vetra interjects, “What do you need us to do, Pathfinder?” Had it been any other time, she would have jumped at the chance to talk to Vetra but she’s currently trying not to choke at the knowledge that she’s the Pathfinder and she’s in the lead here. This has never happened before. <em> This was supposed to be Scott! </em>Her mind screams. Sara can feel her Big Girl Face start to slip, so she quickly tries to find an appropriate response so she can excuse herself to get her act together.</p><p>“Just...get along.”</p><p>—————</p><p> </p><p>Sara spends five minutes in the Pathfinder’s quarters, pointing at herself in the mirror with a stern lecture about how <em> You’re the Pathfinder now, for fucks sake act like one </em>and occasionally stops to freak out about how she actually doesn’t know how to do that.</p><p>If she squints really hard, she can almost imagine it’s Scott looking back at her in the mirror rather than herself. They have the same color hair and eyes, but Scott’s face is a little bit pointy-er and hers is more round and her nose is more squished than his. Scott thinks this is because her face got squished in birth because she was in such a rush to beat him out. Scott thinks he’s fucking funny. He’s not.</p><p><em> What would you do? </em> She thinks desperately, <em> You know this better than I do. </em>Even though he’s like, a million miles away she can still feel a sort of connection with him that only twins would understand. She can almost feel him telling her to get the fuck over it and put herself out there. Instead of her Big Girl Face, she puts on her Scott Face and does just that.</p><p>The first person on her stop is Cora. Cora’s chilling in her quarters, kicking shit and occasionally watering plants. Sara can sort of understand that; that is, the kicking shit part rather than the watering plants part. She thinks the two extremes together is hilarious, she laughs a little.</p><p>Of course, Cora thinks Sara’s laughing at her so she stops kicking some kind of trunk and spins around to yell at whoever’s laughing at her. She freezes and doesn’t, probably because there is some code about how you’re not supposed to cuss out the Pathfinder. Sara puts her hands up in surrender, “I’m not laughing at you, I swear.”</p><p>Cora stands straight up, stares at Sara for a little, then seems to crumble in on herself.</p><p>“I’m sorry.” Cora breathes out. “It’s just...been a long day.”</p><p>“I can relate to that.” Sara agrees. “I mean, it’s better to take out your anger on a trunk rather than someone who can hit back, huh?”</p><p>Cora snorts, then sits on the trunk that was the focus of her anger. “It’s just,” She starts but pauses, trying to find words. “I want to shake that stupid old man and ask what the hell his plan was. Do you have any idea?”</p><p>Sara does not, as she’s asked herself that question since he decided her life was more important than his and has gotten no insight into the matter. “Nope, wish I did though. If you get any ideas in the future, feel free to tell me.” She answers, sitting next to Cora on their trunk bench.</p><p>Cora grasps her hands and lowers her head. “I’ve just...worked so hard my whole career to be Pathfinder, only for him to give it to you, who has no experience.” She turns her head to Sara to look her in the eye. There’s no malice, just incredible sadness. </p><p>Ah, Sara knew this was coming. She’s been gearing toward this confrontation every time Cora’s giving her the stink eye covertly. Sara has always settled things with her fist, and thinks that this moment might be the time she can get all her anger out, but instead finds someone whose dreams have just been crushed, whose life has essentially been for nothing. Sara knows how to deal with anger, not sadness. That was more Scott’s area of expertise, and she realizes she has her Scott Face on, so she tries to pull on her ScottandSara experience to deal with this new situation.</p><p>“Well,” Sara tries to say brightly, but it probably rings false. “Seeing how I’ve no idea what I’m doing, I need all the help I can get.” She reaches out and grabs one of Cora’s hands. “I need someone to give me guidance, so I guess technically it’s not been for nothing?” She gives a questioning smile.</p><p>Cora stares a bit longer, then barks out a laugh. “Take a page out of your old man’s book on how to cheer people up, huh?” Sara gasps loudly.</p><p>“There’s a book for that?” She says, giving a laugh of her own. “Please tell me the title of this book. I don’t know how to deal with <em> emotions. </em>”</p><p>This seems to break the tension. Sara stays a little bit, getting to know Cora a little bit the majority of the time reminiscing about Alec. Cora tries to pry every bit of information about Alec, needing to hear about the man she so idolizes. Sara tries to tell stories, however seeing how her dad spent more time doing secret commando stuff than being a dad, Sara has little to tell. But she tries, and Cora seems to appreciate it.</p><p>She next stops at Peebee’s escape pod (truth be told, Sara thought she was joking about sleeping in the escape pod. This tells more about Peebee’s character than any words spoken), and then the kitchen to talk to Drack. Drack gives her pictures of rifles (the fuck?) in an attempt to cheer her up from her dad’s death. The sentiment is so far outta left field that Sara can’t help but laugh until she cries laughing tears. Drack rises up on her list of people she admires to second place. First place, obviously, needs no introduction.</p><p>Speaking of Vetra, Sara starts to walk towards the room Vetra has claimed as her own. Before she can get to the door which houses the cargo bay, Dr. Lexi springs out of literal nowhere and drags her into med-bay for shots. </p><p>Sara hates shots. She proclaims this very loudly.</p><p>Dr. Lexi then talks to her to take her mind off of it. Sara thinks she’s pretty cool, if a tad bit obsessed about getting ahold of Kett corpses. Dr. Lexi mentions that she wasn’t supposed to be on the Tempest, it was actually supposed to be Dr. Henry (Harry?), the doctor that jumped into Habitat 7 with her. When Sara asks why she’s here instead of him, Dr. Lexi freezes a little bit.</p><p>“He, uh, is looking after Scott to make sure...he doesn’t end up like your dad. He doesn’t want another dead Ryder.”</p><p>Sara stops breathing for a second. She never thought for a second that Scott could die. She always assumed that he was sleeping through the alarm clock, but the very thought that he could die almost has Sara’s Scott Face slipping and plunging her into despair. </p><p><em> Hold it together </em> She thinks <em> he’ll be fine. He’ll be fine.  </em></p><p>She’s repeating that to herself when she walks into Vetra’s quarters, and hearing that Vetra has a sister who fawns over Sara like she idolizes Vetra pushes the thought of a dead Scott out of her mind. She asks all the questions she can, and Vetra seems to be ok with how many questions Sara has for her. The Vetra interview is cut short when they hear what seems to be something very large being dragged across the floor.</p><p>Sara follows the source next door. Said source is Liam adjusting the position of a couch. Not any couch, but an old dirty looking beige couch. Sara has many questions.</p><p>Liam rubs the back of his head with an embarrassed look on his face and spots off some nonsense that loses Sara the third word in.</p><p>“Look.” Sara interrupts before Liam can lose track of what he’s saying, “I...really don’t care. I just want to ask why the fuck you didn’t get a new one?” Liam does his Liam Laugh(tm) and explains that he’s had it forever and it’s some sort of good luck charm and the comfiest sofa that ever sofa-ed. Sara is, understandably, skeptical.</p><p>“You’ll see! Just come back a little bit later for beers. Be prepared to <em> eat your words </em>.” Sara agrees, just to end this asinine argument.</p><p>She spends the rest of the day talking to Gil, Suvi, and Kallo. Gil is pretty interesting and Kallo’s obsession with the ship rivals that of Sara’s obsession with Vetra. Kallo’s comment about Tann being a “snide little beaurocrat” has Sara closing her eyes briefly to commit this to her memory so she can bring this up next time she has to deal with him.</p><p>Her conversation with Suvi takes a weird turn. They go from talking about stars to talking about God, which is a weird segue if she’s ever heard one. When Suvi asks her if she believes in a god, any god, Sara turns her head to look out the viewscreen.</p><p>The few times she’s talked about this with her dad, he made it abundantly clear that the only faith he had was the faith he had in humankind and krogankind and asarikind, and whateveralienkind because how can a God allow so much pain and suffering to happen? Scott didn’t know and never cared to explore his own beliefs, because he was always in the here and now and Sara, there’s so much to do why stop and think?</p><p>It’s her mom that was the faithful one of the family. She always prayed every morning and evening and enjoyed telling Sara stories about God. Sara loved them for the hope they gave. The hope that although it’s shit now, it won’t always be shit and the shit you’re in now will only make you stronger.</p><p>But now dad and mom are dead and Scott’s in a coma and Sara doesn’t know what to believe. All of this can’t be for nothing. She refuses to believe that’s she’s here alone.Still staring at the stars, Sara can only respond “I don’t know about God, but there has to be a higher purpose for all of this.”</p><p>----------</p><p> </p><p>She’s emotionally drained by the time she returns to Liam to have those beers and to test if the couch is comfy. </p><p>She hates to admit that it actually fucking is. Liam crows about how wise is he</p><p>They start drinking beer and talking about nonsense. Liam laughs and laughs and Sara’s two beers deep and her thinking barrier is eroding. </p><p>“Why are you here and why the fuck are you always so happy?” She can’t help but ask.</p><p>Liam pauses and considers this. “I believe in a new beginning.” He answers slowly, contemplating his beer like it holds the secrets to the universe. “We’ve fucked up the Milky Way so much, it’s nice to just...start all over. Be nice to do things a little differently.”</p><p>Sara can’t find a fault in that. Currently, however, she’s more concerned that her beer is empty and reaches for a third one. This will not end well.</p><p>“Why are you here?” He asks</p><p>“Because Scott.” She replies, opening the bottle and taking a sip, hoping to chase away memories.</p><p>“Scott?”</p><p>“Yeah,” She says, hoping that it’s her beer that holds the secret to the universe and not Liam’s. “We do everything together. It’s always ScottandSara.”</p><p>“Scott and Sara?”</p><p>“No” Sara huffs. “ScottandSara. One word. We are two parts to one unit.” She’s probably not making sense but she doesn’t care because it’s the truth and only Scott and Sara can understand. “He’s the brave part, I’m the sensible part.” Liam shrugs.</p><p>“What, you don’t think you’re brave?”</p><p>“Not really. That’s more Scott’s style. He’d cut off his arm if he had to in order to help people. I’m there to remind him there are less painful ways of achieving the objective.” Liam shrugs.</p><p>“I think you’re brave.” He says slowly, and Sara snorts.</p><p>“I can just hide it better.”</p><p>“You’re not holding up very well are you?” Liam asks sadly. Sara’s now officially three and a half beers deep and is now convinced this will not end well. Sara’s always been a maudlin drunk, especially when her dad’s dead and Scott’s not here and she’s been thrust into a position of authority with no warning what so ever.</p><p>It’s the thought of Scott that has the first sob escaping. Tears start to form and she tries and fails to hold them in.</p><p>“Pathfinder…” Liam starts but Sara interrupts.</p><p>“No, not Pathfinder, just Sara. Please I can’t think about that right now.” Another sob escapes as she desperately tries to build a wall to stop the flood of emotions from escaping.</p><p>“Sara,” Liam starts again, placing his hand on her shoulder. “Talk to me. Let it all out. Can’t keep all of it bottled up, it’s not good for you.”</p><p>The wall crumbles and she starts ugly crying. No one has asked her how she feels, just what she can do for the Initiative and she hasn’t gotten a chance to stop and try to process everything.</p><p>“Oh my god I don’t even know where to start.” Sara finally gets out “I feel like this is all just a bad dream and I really want it to be but it’s not it’s real and I don’t know how to deal with it.” The hand that was on her shoulder now wraps around her in a one arm hug and Sara puts her head on his shoulder. Now that she’s started, she can’t stop because it feels satisfying to get it all out.</p><p>“I miss Scott and my mom and even my dad. Scott’s supposed to be here. I’m so alone.” She cries out again, choking on the thought. “I’m so alone.” She wraps herself in a hug and tries to breathe. “Why me. Why me.”</p><p>She continually repeats that last statement as Liam puts his head on hers and rubs her arm. He’s whispering something over and over again but she can’t hear him over her own grief.</p><p>She turns and tucks her head into his chest and continues to cry. He wraps his other arm around her in a full hug and continues to whisper and it isn’t until she starts to run out of tears that she hears him whispering “it’s ok I’ve got you.”</p><p>She makes herself believe it because it makes her feel less alone.</p><p>—————</p><p>She’s not taken 5 steps onto the Nexus when she’s ambushed by fans who cheer her on about Eos and are dying to talk to her. All she wanted was to sequester herself away for <em> five goddamn minutes </em> but can’t because <em> Pathfinder </em> and she instantly wants to find a way to raise the dead so she can kill her father all over again, right after demanding he give Pathfinder to Cora.</p><p>Liam becomes Sara’s second favorite person (sorry Drack) when he grabs her arm and starts to steer her away from the crowd. “Everyone give the Pathfinder some room to breathe. She just got back.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Sara calls out as Liam drags her away “Any questions ask Cora. She’s my second in command!”</p><p>Liam laughs and Cora looks like she’s been both betrayed and sold to the enemy. That look has made the last 24 hours worth it and Sara laughs a Liam laugh and feels a bit lighter than she has been since Habitat 7. “Thanks Liam.” She beams at him.</p><p>Liam smiles back just as big. “No problem. If you ever need to talk, come find me. You have more support than you think.” He walks away toward his quarters on the Hyperion, leaving Sara standing in front of the shops on the promenade.</p><p>She spends the next half hour trying to find a “sorry I snotted all all over your uniform” gift for Liam before she settles on a simple silver necklace with a little starship pendant hanging on it. She hopes that it isn’t as weird as she thinks it is. She takes maybe two steps towards his quarters when two things happen: her Omni tool lights up with two messages: Addison wants to see her and Dr. Henry or Harry or whatever has news about Scott.</p><p>Sara nearly drops the necklace before she starts sprinting toward the tram to take her to the Tempest med-bay. The tram doesn’t go fast enough for Sara and she has so much anxiety that she feels like she could burst.</p><p>She practically runs into the doors of med-bay because she’s faster than the sensors can pick up. She stops and looks around like a mad man until she sees Scott laying on a bed with beeps that indicate he’s still alive and Sara is so relieved she nearly throws up then and there.</p><p>It gets even better when Dr. H states that some of the beeps and lines on the machine indicate he’s in REM sleep and gives her some explanation about why it’s taking longer than usual to get him out of cryo-sleep but she can’t be half assed to listen because she’s so overwhelmed with the knowledge that he’s going to be ok that she could shit rainbows.</p><p>She kneels next to his bed and grabs his hand and squeezes to indicate how much she’s going to fucking kill him when he wakes up when Dr. H goes “and you can ask him yourself.”</p><p>She’s been so focused on Scott that it takes her a minute to realize what he just said. “What?!” She squawks out.</p><p>“I said that SAM has found a way to communicate through his SAM implant do you can talk to him.” And then right there SAM has now risen above Vetra on her list of people/AI she admires and achieves God-like status. She resolves to tell Suvi this.</p><p>Until he asks about dad and the golden worlds and Sara can’t lie to him because he’s her twin and they’ve made spit pacts as 5 year olds saying that they will never ever lie to each other. </p><p>To say that Scott took it badly would be like saying Eos is slightly sandy. He freaks out in his sleep so bad that SAM has to sever the connection and Dr. H has to put him back in REM sleep and Sara wants to climb on his bed and punch him in the face. <em> He’s </em> supposed to be the level headed one and <em> she </em> is already has had her mental breakdown (and has the necklace to prove it) and now here <em> he </em> is having a hissy fit <em> while in a coma </em> and Sara just <em> cannot deal with this shit. </em></p><p>She’s stewing on that, walking toward OPS to face Addison when she’s stopped by a reporter who wants to interview her for the “real story”. Apparently Kari doesn’t trust Tann so it’s obvious she wants Sara to disagree about Tann’s assessment on “unforeseen complications” but Sara cannot drudge up any fucks right now as she’s still dealing with the roller coaster that is her <em> life </em>. She gives some non answer and drags her feet to see Addison.</p><p>Apparently Addison wants to start waking people up but needs her hand held so now let’s put <em> another </em>responsibility on Sara’s plate. She picks a military pod and secretly wakes up someone who apparently is essential to Eos and the dude on the dock’s son that Vetra bribed because whatever Queen Vetra says goes.</p><p>Some scientist comes up to her and asks if SAM can run some equations for her and SAM nearly causes Sara to have a brain aneurysm he’s so excited. Sara agreed mainly because she had no idea AIs can be happy but she figures it can be a reward for living through the minefield that is Sara’s mind.</p><p>She’s in SAM node on the Hyperion when she inputs the code into the computer and she sees nothing but white and feels nothing but pain.</p><p>A white hot pain rushes through her whole body and she can’t tell if she screams or not because every single atom in her body hurts and she <em> can’t breathe </em>.</p><p>She sinks to her knees then folds over and the white light slowly goes away to reveal SAM node bathed in a red light. She can barely hear SAM and at first she thinks is because of the pain she’s in but soon realizes it’s because she can feel the connection between her and SAM start to sever.</p><p>And it <em> hurts </em>. It feels like a piece of her soul is being ripped away. It feels like the pain she would feel if Scott died. And in that moment, she can do nothing but panic because not only has she lost her mom and dad and her twin and other half isn’t here but now she’s going to lose SAM and she knows deep in her bones that another loss like that will kill her.</p><p>Even though she can feel SAM slipping away, she can hear him in her head screaming at her to <em> do something </em> and she would scream back <em> she doesn’t know what to do </em>until she gets snapshot images of how to reset the program and kill the virus.</p><p>She digs deep within herself and uses the determination not to suffer a loss to propel herself to the consoles in question and reboots the system. The connection reasserts itself and the pain ebbs away and the only thing Sara can do is slump against the main console onto the floor and rests her head against it.</p><p>“SAM.” She croaks and her throat hurts and she realizes she was actually screaming and her throat hurts.</p><p>“It’s ok Sara, the virus has been removed.”</p><p>“SAM.” Sara repeats, putting a hand onto the side of the console. “Are you ok, are you hurt?”</p><p>“I cannot feel pain, but I’d rather not repeat that experience again, which I suppose is the point of pain in organic life forms.”</p><p>“SAM.” Sara tries to form words to explain how she feels but can’t.</p><p>“It’s ok Sara, just rest. I will send for help.”</p><p>“No SAM.” She protests, “I don’t want anyone to see me like this.” But her eyes feel heavy so she closes them. She’s suddenly jostles awake by a shake on her shoulder and a panicked “Sara! Sara!”</p><p>She starts to open her mouth to tell whoever it is to <em> just fuck right off </em> but opens her eyes first and sees it’s Liam. It’s only appropriate for SAM to send the one person who has seen her somewhat like this.</p><p>“Sara! Sara! Are you ok? Where are you hurt? Can you move? Can you speak?” He demands and takes out a rag and starts to rub under her nose. She’s about to ask what the fuck that’s about when he stops and she sees the rag red from her blood. “Come on, lets get you to your quarters.”</p><p>Sara privately thanks whatever god is listening that her quarters is right next to SAM node. Liam carries her next door and puts her on her bed. </p><p>“Go get washed up and change clothes.” </p><p>That requires no thinking so Sara’s down for that. She slowly drags herself to the dresser, grabs two random pieces of pajamas and walks to the bathroom. She closes the door and gets a glimpse in the mirror of what freaked Liam out.</p><p>Tear tracks start from her eyes and moves down to her nose where it’s mixed from blood that’s come from both nostrils. A mixture of dried tears and blood flow down over her mouth and down her neck. Her whole body is stiff from the pain and she sniffs at her reflection. </p><p>It doesn’t take long to clean up her face and change into her clothes. Whoever was responsible for getting Pathfinder’s quarters didn’t take her dad’s clothes out and just mixed hers in with his. The shirt she grabbed was one of his so it’s fairly large on her but did manage to grab one of her pajama pants. She sends thanks up to whoever is listening, because even though her dad spent most of his time being a secret agent of some sort he’s still her dad so the shirt gives her some measure of comfort.</p><p>She walks out to find the covers of her bed pulled back and Liam standing next to it. She crawls into bed and Liam covers her with the blanket.</p><p>“I don’t need tucked in.” The lady doth protest too much. “I’m not five.” </p><p>“Ssh.” Liam hushes, sitting on top of the blanket next to her. “Tell me what happened.”</p><p>Several minutes later and Liam is speechless. </p><p>“It had to be on purpose.”</p><p>“But why?” Sara asks, turning to face him. “What did I or SAM do?”</p><p>“I don’t know, I’ll find out though.” He responds. Sara starts to sit up but Liam pushes her back down. “No, you rest. I’ll do it.”</p><p>Sara is too tired to protest, so she just falls asleep.</p><p> </p><p>—————</p><p> </p><p>Several hours later Sara is awaken again when the door to her quarters open.</p><p>“Liam?”</p><p>“Yeah, it’s me.” He says, sitting on the bed.</p><p>“What did you find out?” She turns over to face him</p><p>“I talked to Dr. Aridana. She seemed really upset when she heard about the virus. Said it was really just some math equations. Seems to think her work got hacked.”</p><p>“Do you believe her?”</p><p>“Yeah, she seemed real tore up. That seemed to get the rest of the team all up in a tizzy. Then they blamed it on Anti-AI group on the Nexus. Apparently it’s a big thing now.”</p><p>“So it was a targeted attack.”</p><p>“Seems like it. Anyway I promised to look around and it didn’t take long. They hacked that little AI thing on the promenade. Made it turn red and spout reasons why AI is bad.”</p><p>“Not subtle, are they?” </p><p>Liam snorts “Not in the least. I went up to it and asked if they knew anything about the attack on you and SAM. Seemed surprised it was me and not you.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Yeah I don’t know.” He shifts. “I decided to play along with it. Told them you were sleeping off the effects of the connection severing. Got real excited when I told it that. Said it couldn’t wait to tell Knight.”</p><p>“A knight?”</p><p>“No. Knight as a name. Or maybe Night like ‘day and night’. Asked if we could meet Knight and thank him or her. Said to expect an email for further details.”</p><p>“We?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Liam says, looking down on her. “I’m not going to let you do this by yourself.” Sara smiles, because now she has a support system consisting of one person and an AI, which is a step up from the past few days when she’s felt so alone.</p><p>They stay quiet for a few minutes when Sara quietly asks “Liam?”</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“Can you stay tonight? I...really don’t want to be alone right now.”</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. i didn't read that book</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>not beta-read<br/>just realized I've been spelling Drack's name wrong -.-</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sara wakes up the next morning thankfully pain free and clear headed. She’s well rested enough to finally go through her email and “read” all of the messages she’s ignored for the last few days. Unfortunately, not all of them can be ignored especially if they read “From: Addison”.</p><p>She shuffles over to the couch where Liam is sleeping and shakes him awake. </p><p>“Hey, gotta get up. We got Pathfinder stuff.”</p><p>“Hrfm,” says the blob that Liam is trying to be. “It’s like, 0500.”</p><p>“Nice try, it’s 0700 and we have to go adventuring.” That finally gets Liam up and going.</p><p>“If you insist. However, I need coffee.”</p><p>Sara can’t find any fault in that, so she goes to the coffee machine and makes three cups: two for her and one for Liam. She needs all the help she can get.</p><p>They sit at the table near the kitchen, when Liam asks what the plan is.</p><p>“Got an email from Addison.” sip “says we are allowed to go to Aya and do a scouting mission and <em> only </em>a scouting mission. To see if it’s worth the resources we have.”</p><p>“What, possibly fixing the damage the Kett caused isn’t an immediate concern?” Liam says into his coffee.</p><p>“Sometimes I think Addison does this shit because she knows it bothers me.”</p><p>Getting all of her stuff together for this trip, she comes across the necklace she bought yesterday. She calls him over and gives him said necklace.</p><p>“A necklace?” Liam says as if he doesn’t know what it is. Sara rolls her eyes.</p><p>“Yes. For you.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“It’s a ‘sorry I got snot on your uniform’ gift from my first mental breakdown. It’s a good thing I didn’t get blood on you or else I would be out of credits.” Sara responds. Liam raises one eyebrow.</p><p>“Don’t make it <em> weird </em> because it’s <em> not </em>.” She insists. </p><p>“No, no, I like it.” He puts on the necklace and smiles.</p><p>It’s a bright, beautiful day on the Nexus. She’s got her SAM connection and a simple recon mission and her crew and she is determined to make today a good day.</p><p>Today is not a good day.</p><p>They get like a nanometer into the Heleus cluster when they encounter the scourge. Kallo’s having a heart attack about the damage to the ship and Sara has flashbacks to Habitat 7 when it crashes her shuttle.</p><p>As if that was bad enough, she hears Suvi screech out an “oh my god” and the ship slams to a halt. The sudden cessation of momentum causes Sara to fall over, when she looks up she sees what caused Suvi to panic.</p><p>It’s a ship. A really big ship. With hundreds of little ships around it.</p><p>Sara vows to never judge a day before it actually happens.</p><p>The Tempest is suddenly jolted and stills. Kallo whispers “they have <em> control of the ship! </em>” when the view screen comes on and the scariest looking Kett is looking back at her.</p><p>“I am looking for the one called Ryder.” The Kett demands, voice low and gravely and promised much pain in the future.</p><p>“Who are <em> you </em>?” Sara replies, as if she isn’t scared, which she totally is.</p><p>The Kett does not look impressed. “You are not one to ask questions. Your only option is to answer them. Now, where is the one named Ryder?” </p><p>Sara is absolutely terrified. <em> It was supposed to be a routine recon mission! </em>she thinks desperately, looking around. Kallo and Suvi’s eyes are wide and they are pushed as far back in their seat they can go. Sara’s in between them, still on the ground, with Cora and Liam immediately behind her. Cora’s holding Liam back like he’s about to fly through the view screen and kill every Kett on there. Drack, Peebee, Dr. Lexi, and Vetra round out the rest of the team, standing behind Cora and Liam.</p><p>That’s, uh, me.” And oh my god she couldn’t sound any less inexperienced and pathetic. “Yes, that’s me. I’m Ryder.” She stands up and straightens out her shirt. “What can I do for you?”</p><p>The Kett’s eyes narrow “<em> You </em> are not Ryder. Your DNA might be similar but <em> you are not Ryder. </em>”</p><p>Sara might be scared shitless but she feels indignant because who the fuck is this guy telling her who she is or is not?”</p><p>“Yes I am. My name is <em> Sara Ryder </em>and I’m the only Ryder on board so it’s either me or no Ryder at all!” The sane part of her brain is screaming at her not to antagonize the scary Kett who has control of her ship but the bridge between the part of her brain and her mouth is currently out of service.</p><p><em> Sara, </em> SAM whispers to her, <em> I can take control of the Tempest and guide us to safety but I need a few more seconds. </em></p><p>The Kett thankfully decides to not be offended. “The Ryder I am looking for is male and you are female.” He states simply.</p><p>It hits her then and there he’s talking about her dad. And how the fuck can her dad piss people off beyond the grave?</p><p>“He’s...dead.” And that’s still painful to admit. “Maybe I can help you?”</p><p>“Do you share his ability to control the remnant?” And that throws Sara for a loop because what the fuck?</p><p>“What?!”</p><p>“I know Alec Ryder can control the remnant and I will gladly kill thousands of your people to find the one who will teach me.”</p><p>SAM finally gets done doing whatever he needed to do. All of the screens light up and Kallo and Suvi’s hands fly over the controls. The Tempest lurches free and flies past the ship to fly to safety.</p><p>Sara should’ve told SAM to find a smoother escape route because she swears he purposely picks a route through the densest part of the scourge. SAM might have taken the risk but the Kett do not and they finally reach safety...to come out the other side facing a fuck ton of other ships, guns trained on the Tempest.</p><p>“Oh shit and fuck!” Sara cries “<em> This was supposed to be routine!” </em></p><p>Their comms chirp out some alien language that for some reason the translators can’t pick up. Sara has no desire to repeat the previous five minutes.</p><p>“We come in peace!” And if there is a shit ton of desperation in her plea, well she doesn’t mind because she is still fearing for her life.</p><p>“They sent us coordinates.” Suvi whispers. “I think they want us to land.”</p><p>“The ship is heavily damaged.” Gil says at the worst time ever. “We can’t go through another fight.”</p><p>“The ship!” cries Kallo horrifically “<em> The ship!” </em></p><p><em> “ </em>Well, I guess we have no choice.” Sara responds weakly.</p><p>Their convoy leads them to what could be a very beautiful island resort if Sara currently wasn’t mentally writing her will.</p><p>The ship lands and more untranslatable alien language comes through the comm.</p><p>“Well, I guess that’s my cue.” Sara tries to say with a brave face but fails as her voice is still shaky. “Gil, try to repair as much of the ship as possible just in case.” It takes a few seconds for everyone to realize that Sara intends to go alone. This does not go well at all.</p><p>“Obviously I am going with you.” Vetra states.</p><p>“What?” Sara can’t believe she’s about to disagree with Vetra. “No you’re not.”<br/>“Yes I am.” and the look on Vetra’s face clearly states <em> I dare you to disagree with me. </em></p><p>“No you are not. I can’t take the risk of anyone else getting hurt.”</p><p>“What about you!” Liam retorts. “What about the risk of <em> you </em>getting hurt?”</p><p>“It’s part of the job! It’s Pathfinder Protocol or some shit!”</p><p>“Pathfinder Protocol does not apply to me because <em> I didn’t read that book. </em>” protests Peebee. </p><p>“Screw the protocol.” and Sara can’t believe that words came out of Cora’s mouth. “You are <em> not </em>going alone and this is coming from someone who read the book.”</p><p>“Cora, I need you on the ship. You’re in charge until I come back and <em> I will </em>.” She tries to smile confidently, but fails on that account as well.</p><p>Sara’s near the cargo door, attempting to give herself a pep talk and fails that as well. She can’t see how Scott loves to do this shit on the regular. She decides to just pretend she’s Scott because Scott would be a fucking natural and get out of this situation alive. She’s almost got her Scott Face on when she feels someone grab her arm and turn her around.</p><p>It’s Liam, and he stares at her with concern etched so far on his face she wants to shake him. “What?”</p><p>“Just,” he looks away for a second and looks back. “SAM, if the Pathfinder needs help, I need you to fuck off the Pathfinder Protocol and send her coordinates to my omni tool. Same as before”</p><p>“Acknowledged.”</p><p>“Are you two plotting against me?!” Sara demands but Liam can’t reply as the cargo doors open to what she hopes isn’t her death sentence.</p><p>----------</p><p> </p><p>Sara walks down the steps with her hands up in an attempt to be as non-threatening as possible. There’s about 50 aliens standing around, with a woman standing proudly in the middle. Sara assumes this is the leader.</p><p>“Welcome to Aya,” the woman says serenely. “Home of the Angara.” Sara has questions because how can she understand this one but none of the others? However, there are more pressing things to worry about and now at least she doesn’t have to play charades.</p><p>Another Angaran pushes his way to the front. “Evfra wants to see the alien.” he says to the woman, but never takes his eyes off of Sara. There’s a few seconds of agonizing silence before the nice appearing woman speaks.</p><p>“Very well Jaal. I will escort her.” The alien named Jaal looks like he’s going to disagree, but he turns to the woman.</p><p>“<em> Fine </em>.” and he stomps away.</p><p>The woman comes down the steps to stop in front of Sara. “Follow me. However, do not stray and do not touch anything.” Sara can only nod her head, not trusting her voice.</p><p>Sara makes extra sure to step in the exact same spots as the nice woman because she doesn’t seem like the murdering type and Sara is not taking chances. However, SAM is having the time of its life.</p><p>“<em> I cannot find any of this flora in my database!” </em> and if AIs could, SAM would die of excitement “ <em> This is an undiscovered ecosystem! </em> ” well, at least <em> someone </em>is having fun.</p><p>She finally meets the esteemed Evfra, and he’s just as scary as she thought he would be. He immediately starts interrogating her.</p><p>“What are you doing here?”</p><p>Scott Face don’t fail her now. Deep breath. “You have a vault. I would like to look at it.” and for first sentences, it could be worse.</p><p>“What do you know about our vault?” Evfra demands.</p><p>“We found a similar one on another planet called Eos.” Sara says urgently. She takes another deep breath to keep herself calm. “It was wreaking havoc on the atmosphere, making it extremely radioactive. We managed to reset it. We found a map that places a vault here. My team and I would like to look at it and maybe get it working again.”</p><p>Evfra stares at her so long it’s uncomfortable. “You have to admit, just suddenly appearing in our area, which hasn’t seen an alien life form in a very long time, with no prior communication could be seen as an aggressive move.” This is starting to stray into a territory that Sara does not want to be in.</p><p>“I’m sorry!” She says quickly. “We were trying to escape from a very large Kett ship and by the time we managed to lose them we were already here and we didn’t have a chance to make contact.” Evfra continues to uncomfortably stare at her, but apparently likes that answer.</p><p>“You must be referring to the Archon.”</p><p>“The what?”</p><p>“The Archon.” He answers, turning around to look out the window. Now that Sara isn’t in immediate danger, she can start to really appreciate the beauty of this place. “He leads the Kett. He kidnaps my people, never to be seen again. We found that this place is the only place they cannot reach.”</p><p>“I’m sorry.” Sara doesn’t know what else to say, and she knows pain and loss and knows that no words can make it better.</p><p>“Evfra, what the alien says makes sense.”</p><p>“I agree, however we cannot help. The vault has been lost for centuries.” Evfra sadly responds. Jaal does not seem to be having that answer.</p><p>“What about the Moshae? She knows all about the vault!” Jaal almost sounds desperate. “She can help!”</p><p>This seems to make Evfra angry and Sara wants to punch Jaal “The Kett have her!”</p><p>Sara’s sense of self preservation takes this moment to suddenly fail her “Well, does it have to be her? Can it be anyone else?”</p><p>“You know nothing of what you speak!” Evfra yells and Sara cusses herself out internally.</p><p>“I can go get her!” She tries again. “ I can save her from the Kett.”</p><p>“You overestimate your abilities.” He growls.</p><p>“Evfra,” says Jaal to the rescue. “What this alien says about the vault and the Moshae makes sense.” Sara mentally adds him to second place on her list of people she admires. Liam will have to <em> suffer </em>in third place. “You can spare me.”</p><p>Jaal and Evfra get into a staring contest that thankfully Jaal wins. “<em> Fine.” </em> He somehow spits out of his clenched jaw. “But if the aliens kill you <em> do not be surprised. </em>”</p><p> </p><p>----------</p><p>The meeting that Sara calls the moment she gets back to the Tempest goes as well as it could be.</p><p>“Don’t ever do that again!” Peebee shrieks </p><p>“Well, for first contact it wasn’t our worst.” Cora states</p><p>“Yeah, now we have another mouth to feed.” from Drack.</p><p>“Do the translators even work.” from Vetra.</p><p>“<em> Yes </em>.” Jaal responds</p><p>“Was our trip even worth it?” from Liam. “<em> You could have died! </em>”</p><p>The only way that the Angara would be willing to let the aliens onto their planet and help the Initiative boils down to three conditions: save the Moshae, and fix two of their worlds: Havari and Voald.</p><p>“Of course they would try to bribe us.” retorts Drack.</p><p>“Well, it makes sense. I would do that in their shoes.” Vetra points out.</p><p>The meeting ends with no hissy fits or arguments. Sara considers this a win.</p><p>She doesn't even fully reach the bottom of the meeting floor walkway when she’s ambushed by Liam. He grabs her shoulders and shakes her. “<em> Don’t ever do that again!” </em></p><p>She sighs.“I kind of have to Liam, it’s part of the job.” It’s a very valid point.</p><p>“Can’t you go like, five minutes without putting your life in danger!” he says </p><p>“Well it’s not my fault!” the lady doth protest again. “I didn’t do it on <em> purpose! </em>”</p><p>“And that’s the sad part!” Liam points out.</p><p>“I need a <em> vacation </em> . Somewhere in the mountains. Somewhere <em> not the beach </em>.” Sara says wistfully.</p><p>“All of us do need some way to wind down.” thinks Liam, “Maybe a movie night?” Sara scoffs.</p><p>“Yeah, and let me go through my movie collection. I’ll let you know.”</p><p>“Or, you could just pirate some from the Nexus.” He winks “doesn’t even have to be a good movie. The more terrible the movie the better!”</p><p>Sara thinks Liam needs his head checked.</p><p>She notices that Jaal has taken up residence in the room she’s standing next to. She goes to see how he’s doing and maybe get to know each other. Jaal’s still hung up on the “I’ve just met aliens” thought until Sara laughs and points out that <em> he’s </em>alien to them. They both laugh and then there’s an awkward silence.</p><p>“So, uh,” Jaal rubs his head. “Look at my rifle?” Sara laughs again.</p><p>“I need to introduce you to Dracke.”</p><p>Cora grabs her on the way to introduce Jaal to Dracke. Sara gives directions and ducks into the room now deemed Cora’s Workspace to find a shit ton of plants all throughout the room.</p><p>“You’ve been busy.” Sara points out. “You really like plants.”</p><p>Cora laughs. “Probably has to do with growing up on a cargo freighter where the only plants you can look at are in pictures.” Sara can’t fault that logic. They get to know each other a little more, and Cora reveals she’s still a little salty about not getting Pathfinder but she’s getting over it.</p><p>“Yeah, that’s my dad. He does shit and expects you to understand without him telling you why.”</p><p>“That’s one way of putting it.” Cora pinches a leaf. “He was good at inspiring people, but shit at explaining feelings.” There’s a look that hints at feelings that have nothing to do with Pathfinder stuff.</p><p>“And that’s where I get it from.”</p><p> </p><p>----------</p><p> </p><p>Kallo’s still whining about possible unfixable damage to this ship until Sara relents and agrees to land on Eos to give Kallo peace of mind. It gives her some time to do the trivial Pathfinder shit she hasn’t found time to do. The atmosphere has cleared enough that more of the planet can be explored, and Sara is all onboard when she realizes Mayor Bradley wants her to explore it because Pathfinder Protocol.</p><p>Normally she wouldn’t care, but the exploration of Eos calls for the Nomad and Sara <em> fucking loves the Nomad </em>. It’s the best part of her job.</p><p>Cora took one look at Sara running toward the Nomad and says no thank you, I’ll stay in Prodromos. Kallo refuses to leave the ship and Suvi has responsibilities. The only people willing to go with her are Liam, Peebee, Vetra, Drack, and Jaal (who wants to explore more alien worlds. Cora wishes him good luck, the spoil sport she is). Her and Liam fight over who can drive the Nomad, because he loves it as much as she does. </p><p>“Fuck you Liam, I’m Pathfinder. I drive the Nomad.”</p><p>“So what if you’re Pathfinder. That doesn’t mean you always drive the Nomad.”</p><p>“Yes it does, it’s <em> Pathfinder Protocol. </em>”</p><p>“I hate to channel Peebee but since I didn’t read that book, it <em> doesn’t apply to me </em>.”</p><p>“I think she made that book up.” Peebee interjects. “I bet it’s not even real.”</p><p>“<em>No one asked you. </em>” Sara hisses.</p><p>“Now children,” Vetra interjects “There’s enough for both of you to drive the Nomad.</p><p>Liam’s pouting like a five year old (as if Sara wasn’t acting like one earlier) and his bad mood causes him to start arguing with Vetra. Sara’s not really paying attention until she critiques his shield stance and he implies that she has enough to worry about herself rather than pointing out his flaws and Sara can’t help but gasp.</p><p>“How <em> dare </em> you.” She whispers. “Vetra is <em> perfection.</em>”</p><p>And that stuns everyone in the Nomad. Liam, who is sitting in the front seat, turns to face her and gapes. He’s utterly speechless for a few minutes until he can manage to put together some semblance of a sentence.</p><p>“What...how...are you...<em> are you in love with Vetra?! </em>” He demands. </p><p>Vetra looks extremely pleased “Can’t hate her for having good sense.”</p><p>“<em>No! </em>” Sara’s more offended that he thinks Vetra could be tempted by mere mortals such as herself.</p><p>“But you said she was perfection! That sounds like love to me!” She can’t understand why he’s so offended by the obvious. </p><p>Drack hasn’t stopped laughing since her proclamation of devotion. He leans towards Liam and smacks him in the shoulder. “That’s not love kid, that’s hero worship. There’s a difference.”</p><p>“Besides,” Vetra adds, “I don’t think I’m her type.”</p><p>Peebee scoots a little closer to Vetra and purrs. “What is your type?”</p><p>“<em>Peebee!” </em> Sara shrieks. Peebee needs the same lesson on Gods and temptation like Liam does, who finally looks like he’s calmed down. He still stares at her suspiciously but drops it. Silence reigns in the Nomad until Jaal pipes up.</p><p>“You aliens are <em> fascinating </em>!”</p><p> </p><p>----------</p><p> </p><p>The Tempest finally lands on the Nexus, and Sara has to go introduce her new friend to her old “friend” Addison. She warns him that Addison is a bitch and not to get offended by her. Jaal is confused.</p><p>They start walking toward the tram when there’s what sounds like a riot going on in hydroponics. Sara briefly thinks she can just ignore it and pretend like she doesn’t hear it but then remembers she has responsibilities. She stops and sighs.</p><p>“Hopefully this will only take a minute Jaal. I gotta go be Pathfinder.”</p><p>She walks over and gets caught up on what’s got everyone’s panties in a twist. Apparently, a bunch of people are pissed off that Sara chose military people to come out of stasis instead of their families the last time she was on the Nexus. They’re crying about how it’s not fair, and Sara wants to be petty and point out that <em> she </em>didn’t want to be Pathfinder, but now she is and shit sucks. The Scott voice in her head says she needs to be a grown up. She viciously wants to strangle that voice but it has a fucking point.</p><p>“I’m sorry that your families got pushed back in the queue but it’s what the Initiative needs.”</p><p>“What about our needs!” someone cries. </p><p>“I had to make a hard choice and I stand by it!”</p><p>“I want to see my mom!” and that sets off a whole new round of complaints. The thing that Sara can do is promise to talk to Kandros.</p><p>“You better!” Someone threatens and it takes every ounce of Sara’s will to not turn around and punch said person, and the rest of whatever will is left not to stomp off like a four year old.</p><p>“Come on Jaal,” she grabs Jaal’s arm and starts to drag him to the tram. “We have to make a stop first before we see Her Highness.”</p><p>Jaal looks more confused.</p><p>They stop by Kandros’s office, and what Sara thought was going to be a short “hey, some people are pissed off in hydroponics deal with it” turns into a full fledged meeting with Kesh, Tann, and Kandros. Tann suggests getting the families out of stasis to keep calm, but Kesh points out that they do not have resources. Of course, that means Sara has to be the deciding factor. She sides with Kesh, and Tann wants Sara to deliver the bad news. Sara closes her eyes and brings up the memory of Kallo calling Tann a “snide little beaurocrat”</p><p>She feels a little better.</p><p>“Come on Jaal! BACK TO HYDROPONICS!”</p><p>Sara didn’t think it was possible, but Jaal looks even more confused.</p><p>The protestors are mostly gone by the time she gets there, but momma’s boy and the leader are still there. Apparently, they tried to disconnect the water supply. Sara can’t believe they’re willing to doom the entire station because they’re families got pushed back in stasis. At least they’re not <em> dead </em>like her dad and in a coma like Scott. Momma’s boy threatens to pick up his shit and leave, until Sara points out how disappointed his mom would be. That seems to calm both of them down.</p><p>Sara rubs her hands together. There. Case closed. Problem solved.</p><p>She grabs Jaal’s arm for the third time to drag him to see Addison. She’s stopped, <em> again, </em> but this time by Keri who wants to interview her about Prodromos and the difference between that and sites 1 and 2. Then, she decides the viewers need to be able to <em> relate </em> to the Pathfinder <em> as if it matters </em>and asks her how she relaxes. Jaal is so perplexed by the end that he blurts out.</p><p>“Is it normally like this? People demanding your attention?”</p><p>“You have no idea.” She mutters and finally manages to get Jaal to Addison. Addison’s happy that Sara didn’t cause an interspecies conflict, and then happy that there’s still a Pathfinder, and gives Jaal one of the dignitary suites, probably to seem <em> nice </em> and <em> kind </em>. Sara whispers to Jaal not to believe it. Jaal just laughs.</p><p> </p><p>----------</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “The kids need their mother Ellen!” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “They also need their father!” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “They rarely see their father as it is.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Then get to know them Alec.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Oh, Ellen, they’ll probably just ask for a refund if they got to know me. I don’t know how to be a dad.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Then start being one.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>----------</p><p> </p><p>Sara walks into med-bay and collapses into a chair next to Scott. It’s been a while since her mom’s death, and seeing her ripped open a hole Sara thought she patched a long time ago. </p><p>It’s just another reminder of all Sara has lost.</p><p>She grabs Scott’s hand and rests her head on his arm. “Oh Scott.” she can feel a tear start to escape. “I miss you.”</p><p>“You’re supposed to be here, not sleeping. Why won’t you wake up.” She sniffs, head still down. “SAM showed me a memory of mom. I don’t know how that relates to anything, but she wanted to die. Apparently SAM could have saved her, but she didn’t want to be saved.”</p><p>She puts her head up. “Why didn’t she want to be saved? If it was a possibility, she should have taken it.” Sara can’t find the energy to be angry. “Scott this is supposed to be <em> you</em>. I need you more than ever.” She lets go of his hand and leans back in her chair.</p><p>“You’re missing out on <em> everything </em>.” She then launches into everything that’s happened, hoping that he can hear her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. oh balls</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Not beta read<br/>i think i need new glasses. i swear i'm typing this people's names right only for it to be completely wrong -.- that and the text in game is really fucking small<br/>also rating change just to be on the safe side</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You know, when I said that I wanted a planet that wasn’t hot I didn’t mean for it to go in the complete opposite direction.” </p><p><br/>This was the moment Sara knew the universe was fucking with her for complaining about Eos. Want to bitch about picking a planet that’s “a thousand fucking degrees Kelvin, for fucks sake Addison”? Here, take a planet that is in the literal opposite direction climate wise. That will teach you to complain about your job.</p><p>The Tempest lands on what they <em>think </em>is solid ground, only for them to realize a second too late it’s actually about 10 feet of snow.  The Tempest starts to sink and Kallo starts to have a panic attack at the thought of any type of danger that the ship can be in.</p><p>“<em>Kallo</em>,” Gil says with a whole heap of exasperation in his voice “the ship will be ok. It was built for space. Snow will not hurt it.”</p><p>Kallo is not convinced. He’s still gripping the console, “You know <em>nothing</em>!” He hisses.</p><p>They meet the commander of the whole operation, Anjik Do Xeel, who threatens them with death should they betray them. Sara would have been terrified normally, but this is nothing compared to meeting the Archon. In order to look professional, however, Sara just smiles and say she has no intention to betray them.</p><p>They meet with a pair of scouts who has more information on the situation on Voald.</p><p>”Look at the alien Tsheek!” says the female as they approach, “it’s...it’s so <em>pink. </em>And their legs! <em>How do they even walk like that?!</em>”</p><p>“Oh my stars.” Jaal covers his face  with one hand and mutters into it.</p><p>”<em>Shut up!</em>” Hisses the one named Tsheek. “They are <em>right there!</em>”</p><p>”<em>How can you even tell them apart?!”</em></p><p><em>”</em>Creator take me now.” Jaal says into his hand.</p><p>”I’m driving the Nomad.” Liam pipes up before Sara can get a word in. Sara scoffs but again is cut off before she can say anything.</p><p>”Thank all the Gods above.” Cora says, “I remember your driving on Eos.”</p><p>”It wasn’t that bad!”</p><p>”<em>Never again!” </em>Cora whispers, with a far away look of one that has suffered PTSD. Cora is a fucking drama queen.</p><p>They meet up with Skeot in Techiix who wants them to rescue a highly regarded resistance leader from the Kett, who happens to be his uncle. His face reads as despair. Sara would do it even if his uncle wasn’t a key figure. She knows what it’s like to lose a loved one.</p><p>On the way to the Kett labor camp, Sara’s in the front seat, shivering.</p><p>”What the fuck.” and how Sara manages to get that out with her teeth chattering is a miracle. “How is it that we’ve managed to go into a different fucking galaxy alive but can’t get <em>decent fucking heat in our vehicles!”</em></p><p>”The cold is not that bad after a while.” Jaal says unhelpfully from the back seat. “You get used to it after a while.”</p><p>”That is <em>not helpful!</em>” Sara responds, trying to hug her body heat close together. “Everyone, next time I complain about Eos do me a favor and put me out of my misery.”</p><p>”On the bright side,” Cora adds, “we don’t have to worry about dying via Sara’s driving of the Nomad.”</p><p>Sara’s too fucking cold to care about that statement.</p><p>They come up to the camp, which gives Sara a distraction from the cold. They fight, they kill, they rescue, and they didn’t die. It’s great.</p><p>”Guys, I think that’s the first time things have gone according to plan.” Sara as she buckles herself in the Nomad. </p><p>“I could get used to this.” Peebee agreed.</p><p>”I wouldn’t. Life has this funny way of biting you in the ass if you get too comfortable.” Drack the debbie downer says.</p><p>—————</p><p>They’re making their way in some cave trying to find some poachers who are killing whales that has Jaal personally offended on many different fronts. </p><p>Away from the Nomad and the heat lamps the Angarans have scattered across Voeld, Sara is starting to appreciate how cold this planet is. The cold doesn’t hit you right away; it’s more like a slow creep through the armor. Sara doesn’t realize how cold she is until her muscles start to burn and walking becomes difficult.</p><p><em>Sara,</em> internal SAM whispers,<em> you need to find a heat source immediately. Life support will not sustain you for very long.</em></p><p>”It’s ok SAM.” and everyone is staring at her when she says that out loud. They can’t hear internal SAM, so they think she’s talking to herself. “I’ll be fine.”</p><p>Liam grabs her arm. “We are stopping for a little bit and starting a fire.” He says loudly. Jaal vehemently disagrees with this statement.</p><p>”We must continue!”</p><p>”And we will, after we stop and rest.”</p><p>”We can rest after!” Jaal growls as he walks towards and stops right in front of Liam. Liam straightens his posture and returns Jaal’s glare.</p><p>”<em>No.</em>” Liam says emphatically. “We are stopping <em>now.</em>”</p><p>Maybe it was the look Liam was giving, maybe Jaal knew a losing battle when he saw one, or maybe it was a combination of both because he merely glared at Liam and hissed “<em>Fine.</em>”</p><p>After 15 minutes and a build fire later, Sara finally regained feelings in her lower extremities. “This was such a good idea Liam.” She reaches over and punches him lightly on his shoulder. “You’re hired.”</p><p>He smiles at her. “I try. Next time, though, do me a favor and listen to SAM.” Sara blinks a few times.</p><p>”How did you know about that?”</p><p>”What, other than the fact that you started talking to yourself? SAM sent a message to my omni-tool.”</p><p>Sara knew it. “You two really are conspiring against me!” Liam laughs.</p><p>"Or maybe he just likes to talk to someone that actually listens."</p><p>”I would like to put forth a vote.” Peebee interjects, shivering. “All those in favor of finding the vault and activating it in hopes of warming this planet up say ‘aye’”</p><p>”Aye.” Said everyone.</p><p>—————</p><p>They activate the three monoliths and find the reset console in the vault. </p><p>"Murder fog?" Cora asks desperately.</p><p>"Murder fog." Sara says sadly.</p><p>"Murder fog?" Jaal asks slowly as Cora, Peebee, Vetra, and Liam line up like runners at the start of a race. Jaal and Drack look at each other questioningly.  Sara pushes some buttons and alarms start to sound. </p><p>"RUN! RUN!" She screams.</p><p>A few terrifying moments later, they're safely outside the doors catching their breaths.</p><p>"So, that's murder fog." Jaal simply states.</p><p>__ __ __ __ __</p><p>Activating the vaults allows the Nexus to settle a colony named Taerve Uni. What that means, Sara doesn't know and frankly doesn't care enough. Addison asks, since Eos is a statement of new beginnings, would she mind stating the purpose for Taerve Uni? </p><p>When Scott and Sara were little, they would play a game called knights and dragons with sticks from the tree near the river by their house. They would switch who was the knight and who was the dragon, and the game wouldn't stop until the dragon was 'slain', or in other words until one of them cried uncle. They would always get wet and muddy afterwards and their mother would shriek like a banshee for them tracking mud into the house and giving each other scrapes and bruises. It got to the point that she would wait outside for them to come back and hose them down in the garden before allowing them in the house. It was the best part of the summer as kids. </p><p>Part of the rules of knights and dragons was that the knight always had to give a speech when the dragon was slain, because a bad speech could totally resurrect the dragon. Once, Knight Scott had slain the dragon in the name of peace between the two kingdoms of Ryderville and Evilville ('Those are horrible names!' 'Shut your mouth you evil dragon! BE GONE!'). The two kingdoms were fighting each other because the evil dragon said bad things to them about each other, and now that the evil dragon was dead, a new partnership could occur between the two. Sara drew on this memory and said the statement was moving forward, forming a partnership between two species of people. </p><p>Addison and the Initiative might believe that for face value, but in her mind, Sara's dedicating this settlement to simpler and happy times.</p><p>She's pulled out of her musings by a scientist fussing about. Turns out, a few of her crew are missing that are very valuable to the colony, a not so subtle hint for the Pathfinder to negotiate. They follow the bread crumbs left behind to face the scariest fucking thing since the Archon.</p><p>"What is that?" she asks faintly.</p><p>"A remnant architect." Jaal says at the same volume. "We must kill it before it kills us!"</p><p>"<em>What!</em>" Peebee shrieks. "<em>Are you serious? Do you have a death wish!</em>" </p><p>"He has a point." Sara adds. She knew that settling Voeld was too easy. <em>She knew</em>.</p><p>"It's okay, Sara's got this. It's okay, Sara's got this." Liam's mumbling to himself, grabbing onto his necklace like a lifeline.</p><p>"I am aware of that Liam, you do not have to repeat that." Jaal says. Liam huffs.</p><p>"You know Jaal, when certain aliens are nervous and scared, they talk to themselves.</p><p>"What purpose would that serve? You are already aware that the Pathfinder will be victorious."</p><p>"<em>It's to make me feel better!"</em> He hisses.</p><p>Fighting this monstrosity is hard when you have to avoid it vomiting bombs on you, avoiding the laser, and killing the remnant that it conjures is hard enough, but add that to making sure you're within reach of a lifesaving heater makes the whole thing such <em>balls.</em></p><p>Afterward, while Peebee is ripping out some tech from the body, she looks up excitedly at Sara.</p><p>"Hey Ryder! Do you think there's another one of these on Eos?!"</p><p>"Oh balls." Says Vetra.</p><p>__ __ __ __ __</p><p> </p><p>Evfra is impressed, but not totally impressed because so far, they've only fixed Voeld. They still have to fix Havarl and find the Moshae. But, Evfra is impressed so that's 1 point to Sara.</p><p>They land back at the Nexus for minor repairs and to rest before setting off to Havarl. <em>Let's have a get together at the Vortex, </em>a message from Gil reads, <em>crew bonding time.</em></p><p><em>"Will there be alcohol?</em>" a reply from Drack reads.</p><p>
  <em>"What do you take me for? A philistine?"</em>
</p><p>"I would just like it known," Sara states as she sits at the giant round table in the back that Gil has commandeered, "that the last time I drank, it literally ended in tears."</p><p>"The only tears allowed are tears that are to be shed when I deal out losses." Gil states, dealing the first hand of poker out.</p><p>Several rounds and four unpronounceable drinks later, Sara is fucking <em>drunk.</em></p><p>"Oh my god." she hiccups. "You are like, a fucking mind reader or some shit. <em>How are you winning this many times?!</em>"</p><p>"A master does not reveal his tricks." Gil replies, trying to look somberly. Seeing how he's just as drunk as Sara is, it just comes out looking like he's sucked on a lemon.</p><p>"Wait, the fuck." Peebee says, and she's nearly there. "Why didn't you just use your SAM to cheat." Sara attempts to look wounded.</p><p>"What do you take me for?"</p><p>"Liam Liam Liam Liam Liam." Cora's smacking him on the arm. "Why are you not drinking? <em>Are we not good enough for you?</em>" Liam sighs, looking put out.</p><p>"Someone has to watch you drunken louts."</p><p>"Pfft." Vetra waves that statement away like a gnat. "We can handle ourselves."</p><p>Liam snorts, "If your ability to handle your drinks is comparable to your ability to handle yourselves whilst drunk, it's good that I'm the designated non-drinker."</p><p>"Why, fancy seeing you here Pelessaria." Says an unknown woman sashaying towards their table. Peebee groans.</p><p>"Okay, one." She says with one finger up, slightly swaying. "Don't call me that, and two" two fingers "<em>What the fuck are you doing here, Kalinda?</em>"</p><p>"Language, babe. No need to be so hostile." Kalinda replies, poking Peebee in the shoulder. Sara is not having this.</p><p>"No need to be so condescending, <em>babe.</em>" No one harasses her friend.</p><p>"And this must be the illustrious Pathfinder." Kalinda states, turning to face Sara with one hand on her hip. "What are you doing here in this...respectable establishment?"</p><p>Sara huffs. "Pathfinder Protocol states that all Pathfinders must take one day a week for debauchery to relax. It's law." she stands up on her chair, faces the rest of the bar with her drink raised in the air and yells "ISN'T THAT RIGHT EVERYONE!" Liam looks horrified and attempts to get Sara to get off her chair before she hurts herself.</p><p>"YEAH!" Everyone screams back, raising their drink in solidarity.</p><p>Kalinda raises her eyebrow, "I'll leave you to it then." and thankfully walks away.</p><p>"What a <em>cunt." </em>Sara mumbles. Suvi gasps.</p><p>"Don't disrespect cunts like that. Cunts are amazing. And tasty and warm and..."</p><p>"Oh my god Suvi please don't finish that statement."</p><p>"No I agree with Suvi." Peebee interjects. "Cunts are beautiful things. Kalinda is just a bitch."</p><p>"You know who else is a bitch? My friend Jill." Gil jumps in.</p><p>"Yeah, fuck Jill!" everyone choruses.</p><p>"Gil and Jill." from Cora.</p><p>"What did Jill do to you?" Drack asks.</p><p>"Wants me to reproduce, says I'm not helping the Initiative if I'm not. Blech. Sex with women and kids. If I was into cunts, both literally and figuratively, I would want her to have my babies."</p><p>"That sentence makes no sense." Liam adds.</p><p>"It does too!" Sara adds. He looks at her with a serious look on his face. It's not her fault that he is not as enlightened as she is right now.</p><p>"It's because you're drunk."</p><p>"Hey!" Sara yells, slamming her hand on the table. "It's better than crying like a little <em>bitch</em>."</p><p>"I think you were trying to insult me, but managed to insult yourself instead." He grabs her shoulder to keep her steady.</p><p>"Hey that's right! Sara, you said you cry when you get drunk!" Vetra says.</p><p>"This is like, the first time ever." She says, halfway through her fifth drink, "I'm glad I didn't cry tonight. I don't know if I could afford all of the makeup gifts."</p><p>"Wait what?" Suvi asks.</p><p>"Yup. I snotted all over Liam's shirt." She points at said person. "I gave him that necklace to make up for it." Cora raises one eyebrow.</p><p>"You bought Liam jewelry because you cried?"</p><p>"Cora shut up. You're making it sound weird."</p><p>"I mean, not my style, but hey, you do you."</p><p>"Hey wait!" Suvi screams, pointing at Liam. "That's the necklace you're always wearing!"</p><p>"Yes, thank you for your astute observation. How would I have ever figured that out." Liam deadpans. </p><p>"You guys are making this very weird and I hate all of you for it."</p><p>"Pfft." Vetra and her gnat again. "You probably won't remember this in the morning."</p><p>"But I will." Liam jumps in. "And I will make sure to come up with incredibly embarrassing but false accusations and you all will be none the wiser.”<br/><br/><br/></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. that information is in another castle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Not beta read</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Good morning everyone! Rise and shine!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Stars and heavens above Gil I do not appreciate the tone of your message this early in the morning.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>TIME TO GO ADVENTURING MY LIGHT WEIGHTED FRIENDS!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Gil I swear on everything holy that I hold dear I will smother you in your sleep.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ooh will Scott appreciate that? Cuz I would appreciate that.</em>
</p><p>“Do we have a captain’s log somewhere?”</p><p>”No, Pathfinder.”</p><p>”We should. Get on that Suvi. And the first log should be: never go the bar with Gil. And make sure there are like 10 underlines under ‘never’.”</p><p>”I’ll add another 10 for me.”</p><p>”Gil! I need to talk to you about the modifications you did to the...” Kallo starts.</p><p>”Oh my god Kallo.” Suvi covers her face with both hands.”We haven’t even lifted off from the Nexus yet.”</p><p>”I come bearing gifts!” Says Vetra, walking in with both hands in the air which holds many vials of blue liquid. “In the form of hangover cures!”</p><p>Cora rushes over as fast as her hungover self could. “Sara, I completely understand your ever lasting devotion to Vetra right now. Vetra, you are a <em>Goddess</em>!”</p><p>Sara sighs happily. “One convert down.”</p><p>—————</p><p>“It’s almost like,” Sara pants as they head towards wherever they’re supposed to go, “the universe said, fuck the middle of the road! You will have to deal with ALL THE EXTREMES! Planet too hot? Eos. Planet too cold? Voeld. Planet too humid? Havarl.”</p><p>”Now Pathfinder, it’s just the vaults causing this. Our planets are normally not like this.” Jaal explains.</p><p>”Jaal, just let me whine.”</p><p>They finally reach the Pelaav Research Station and meet Kiiran Dals, who is immediately impressed when Sara introduces herself formally.</p><p>”Oh, Jaal, are all of these aliens always so formal?” She asks.</p><p>Peebee loudly stifles a laugh and Jaal gives her the stink eye. “Not quite.”</p><p>They’re sent on what Sara would call a simple mission but she has learned her lesson from Aya: some of Kiiran’s scientists have been caught in a stasis field and would appreciate the Initiative’s help in freeing them.</p><p>”If you don’t mind, Ryder, I would like to stay here and catch up among old friends.” Jaal asks.</p><p>”Yeah sure whatever just don’t get lost.” Jaal raises an eyebrow in response.</p><p>A little bit later, after successfully freeing said scientists from the stasis field, the following exchange happens:</p><p>”Okay, so put that instrument over... STAY BACK!”</p><p>”It’s ok, we are not here to hurt you...”</p><p>”STAY BACK ALIENS! WE WILL NOT BE DECEIVED BY THE KETT! EVERYONE, BACK TO THE RESEARCH STATION.”</p><p>”Right, next time Jaal is coming with us.”</p><p>—————</p><p>“And then we saw grey spiky aliens!”</p><p>”The Kett?”</p><p>”No! Like that one but more of them!” The researcher points at Vetra.</p><p>”Turians?” Vetra breathes out. “You saw Turians? Here?”</p><p>”Where?” Sara asks.</p><p>”Here are the coordinates. Also, I am sorry for my reaction to you earlier.”</p><p>”It’s no problem,” assures Sara, “seeing how the last aliens you met were the Kett, I don’t blame you one bit. What were you studying anyway?”</p><p>”Our planet is dying.” Kiiran replies sadly.</p><p>”Here?” Peebee asks. “But, the whole planet is a jungle!”</p><p>”Our planet used to not look like this. The air was crisp, the flora more bountiful and beautiful. It’s a slow decline, but a decline.”</p><p>”What’s causing it?” asks Sara.</p><p>”We only have two active monoliths. The third one has been lost to time.”</p><p>“You mean, you can’t find it?”</p><p>”No. The only angarans that can are the sages on top of Mithrava.” Kiiran explains.</p><p>Jaal scoffs, “Those pathetic soothsayers know nothing.”</p><p>”Jaal, do not insult that which you do not understand.” Kiiran admonishes. Jaal rolls his eyes.</p><p>”So, we just go to Mithrava and ask them?” Sara asks.</p><p>Jaal scoffs. “If they’ll tell you.”</p><p>”Well, that’s no big deal because you’re going with us.”</p><p>”I think not. I have no desire to interact with them.”</p><p>”I think so. The last angarans we met freaked out after seeing us aliens. You are our official Angaran ambassador.” Sara states.</p><p>Jaal narrows his eyes. “Says who?”</p><p>”Pathfinder protocol.”</p><p>”I still think she made that up.” Peebee stage whispers to Cora, who responds by nudging Peebee with her elbow.</p><p>”Besides,” Sara adds, “what do you have against them anyway?”</p><p>”I just think knowledge should be shared, not hoarded and only available to those they deem worthy.”</p><p>”I get that.” says Drack. “Wars are started over misinformation and hidden agendas.”</p><p>”Yeah, well, buck up kiddo you’re coming anyway.”</p><p>—————</p><p>After much climbing and much complaining from Sara and Peebee about said climbing, they finally reach the top of Mithrava.</p><p>”Pathfinder, I only accompanied you here because you made me but I have no desire to actually talk to the frauds.” Jaal whispers.</p><p>”Don’t worry,” Sara grabs one of his shoulders, “you just stand back and look angaran and occasionally clear up any misunderstandings.”</p><p>”That I can do.”</p><p>”I’m afraid I can’t tell you the exact location of the monolith..” First Sage Esmus responds a bit later before being interrupted by Peebee.</p><p>”You mean to tell me we climbed all the way up here for you to tell us ‘sorry, that information is in another castle’? <em>Really?!</em>” </p><p>“If I may finish,” a glare from Esmus to Peebee, “the last angaran with knowledge of the lost monolith is one by the name of Zorai. You must obtain something of personal value and give it to the reincarnation of Zorai. This will allow him to remember the location of the lost monolith.” A pause commences.</p><p>”Come again?” Liam asks.</p><p>”If I may,” and with that Jaal rolls his eyes so hard he looks like he’s having a seizure, “certain...<em>elements </em>of our society believe that after death, our soul is reborn into another and certain artifacts from past lives allow us to remember details.”</p><p>”I gather you don’t believe that, huh?” Cora asks.</p><p>”Not really.” Jaal responds.</p><p>”Well, it’s the only lead we got.” Sara says. “So, what and who are we looking for?”</p><p>”Well, you see, there are two complications.” Esmus says slowly.</p><p>”Of course there is.” Vetra mutters.</p><p>”Our researchers believe that the item you are looking for is a gauntlet. The gauntlet is located within the monolith that’s located here.” Esmus gives them the coordinates. “Unfortunately, it is overrun with remnant, which is why we haven’t been able to acquire it ourselves.”</p><p>”Of course,” Sara mutters, then louder: “what’s the second?”</p><p>“Zorai’s spirit has been reborn into Taavos, member of the Roekaar.”</p><p>“If I may use a common phrase from your vernacular,” Jaal says, “Oh balls.”</p><p>”What no, no ‘oh balls’ we don’t like situations that calls for ‘oh balls’.” Peebee says.</p><p>”Why the ‘oh balls’?” Sara asks slowly, not really wanting but needing to know the answer.</p><p>”The Roekaar are a group of people who really do not like aliens. Any kind of aliens. They would rather kill the aliens or die before working with them.”</p><p>Sara slaps his shoulder and adds weakly, “That’s why you’re here, Jaal.”</p><p>—————</p><p>“A glove. I can’t believe we came all the way down here and are about to face alien hating aliens for a <em>glove</em>.” Liam complains.</p><p>It goes about as well as can be expected.</p><p>”WE JUST WANT TO TALK!” Sara yells in the middle of a firefight, like that ever works in real life. </p><p>“IT WILL NOT WORK!” Jaal bellows in response. “THEY ARE ANGRY THAT THERE IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE ANGARA AND THE INITIATIVE.”</p><p>”WHATEVER.” Peebee calls out. “I JUST HOPE TAAVOS ISN’T ONE OF THE PEOPLE WE JUST KILLED.”</p><p>Thankfully, he is not.</p><p>”Jaal, you <em>traitor</em>.” Taavos hisses once they corner him in a house. “You would rather work with the destroyers than with your own people.”</p><p>”You misunderstand Taavos, these aliens wish us no harm. They only want to help us prosper.” Jaal tries reason. “They wish to find and activate the lost monolith and save Havarl.”</p><p>”And what does that have to do with <em>me</em>?” He demands.</p><p>”The sages believe you are the reincarnation of the fierce warrior named Zorai. Here, try this on.” Jaal tries to give the gauntlet to Taavos.</p><p>”<em>Never!</em>” He bellows. Vetra has officially had enough of It. With a capital I.</p><p>”I did not hike up a huge monolith, battle remnant, and fight through an army who wish to see me die because of how I was born for you to refuse. Try on the damn glove or else I will tie you down and <em>force you.” </em>Vetra adds an evil glare for extra effect. It works.</p><p>”<em>Fine</em>!” Taavos hisses. “But my only request is to make my death painless.”</p><p>”Our Lord and Savior Vetra Nyx.” Sara says and Vetra bows. Taavos puts on the gauntlet and falls to his knees.</p><p>”I...I remember.” He whispers. “Pain, joy, sadness, <em>alone.</em>” Jaal runs over and kneels next to Taavos.</p><p>”Are you ok my brother?” Jaal asks.</p><p>”I will be but...<em>I remember! </em>Jaal, <em>I remember! </em>But Jaal, I ask of you, when I give you the coordinates, please let me come with you!” Taavos pleads and Jaal looks up at Sara.</p><p>”Yeah, that will be ok.”</p><p>—————</p><p>They fight through mutant animals, more remnant, and waterfalls and reach the lost monolith.</p><p>”I remember this.” Taavos whispers and reaches his hand over an unassuming rock. Suddenly, a large groan echoes throughout the chasm and what was once a rock wall in front of them opens up into a monolith. “<em>I remember this!</em>” He takes off running.</p><p>”Hey wait!” Sara calls out and chases after him. They run into a side passage that turns into a dead end.</p><p>Taavos suddenly stops and drops to his knees. He places both hands on the ground and bows his head. His voice comes out small and shaky when he says: “I..I..I died here.”</p><p>Jaal walks up behind him and places a comforting hand on Taavos’ back. <br/>
<br/>
“Hey guys...” Peebee says in a hush. “There’s an audio log here. And some bones.”</p><p>The voice that comes out punches Sara in the stomach. <br/>
<br/>
“Zorai...I was not a male. I was a female. And I managed to control the remnant.” Taavos traces an imaginary line on the audio log. “I knew the planet was dying. I managed to activate two of the monoliths, but was injured fighting remnant here. I died here. Alone. Before I could finish my task. I failed. <em>I failed.</em>”</p><p>”No you didn’t.” Drack stands behind Taavos and Jaal. “You bought the planet precious time it would not have otherwise. You <em>were </em>a hero. You <em>are </em>a hero.”</p><p>It hits her right then and there what’s in front of her. The audio log. The bones. The location. Taavos.</p><p>Sara takes off her gloves and rubs her eye. “Come on guys, help me.” She walks off to the side of the room and grabs an armful of dirt. She loves her crew: Peebee, Jaal, Liam, Drack, Cora, and Vetra who don’t ask any questions and jump up to help. </p><p>It’s because they know that even the Kett don’t deserve this.</p><p>”What are you doing?” Taavos whispers, still kneeling on the ground. Sara dumps her first armful of dirt and goes back for another. She’s on her way back when she answers.</p><p>”It’s not right.” She says hoarsely. “She died here. <em>Alone</em>. It’s not right. She doesn’t deserve this. <em>Nobody </em>deserves this.” Second armful dumped. “To be forgotten. I mean,” rubs her eyes again, this time tears come out “the sages thought she was a <em>man. </em>They forgot what she <em>did</em>. They forgot that she singlehandedly saved the planet. <em>By herself</em>! She was smart enough to control the remnant. And activate two monoliths. She was so close. <em>So close</em>. The least we can do is give her a proper fucking burial.”</p><p>The rest of the time is filled with silence. They may be burying a hero, but maybe the rest of the crew is thinking the same thing Sara is: they’re burying more than just a brave woman who did the impossible.</p><p>Who knows what everyone else is thinking but Sara is thinking: this armful of dirt is for mom, this one for dad, this one for memories of trees next to rivers, and that one for the simpler life we all deserve but don’t get.</p><p>By the end, Sara is sweaty and exhausting and trying not to cry. She’s sitting on her folded legs and staring at the mound of dirt that should read: Here Lies Zorai, Hero Of Us All.</p><p>Liam sits on the ground next to her and pulls her into a one arm hug. He rests his head on top of hers, crosses his other arm around her front to turn it into a full on side hug. Cora sits on the other side and wraps her arm around her waist.</p><p>They sit there like that for a few moments, mourning different things but comforting each other.</p><p>”Thank you.” was the only thing to break the silence.</p><p>—————</p><p>“Alright everyone you ready for this?” Sara asks, hovering one hand over the purification console. </p><p>“No.” says Jaal. “<em>Never</em>.”</p><p>”I’m getting too damn old for this.” Drack adds.</p><p>“Run!! RUN!!!!”</p><p>—————</p><p>It’s not hard to find where the Turians crash landed on Havarl. You just have to follow the obvious bread crumb trail of Ark Natanus debri.</p><p>”Avitus!” calls Vetra after defeating the attacking Kett. </p><p>”Hey Vetra, long time no see.”</p><p>”Yeah no shit. We’ve been looking you.”</p><p>”Now you found us. Where’s everybody else?” Avitus asks. Vetra looks stunned. </p><p>”They’re not with <em>you</em>? What about Macen?”</p><p>“No! One moment I’m going into the cryo-pod, next moment I wake up here, having to break out of my own cryo-pod being attacked by <em>these assholes</em>!” Avitus kicks a Kett corpse. “All I know is that Macen has to be alive. His SAM hasn’t transferred to me.” He finally notices everyone else. “Who are they?”</p><p>”This is the human Pathfinder Sara Ryder,” Vetra sweeps a hand toward Sara, “and the rest of the degenerates are Peebee, Cora, Liam, Drack, and our Angaran ambassador Jaal.”</p><p>”Hey I resent that!” Peebee insists.</p><p>”I <em>still </em>don’t think there’s a Pathfinder Protocol book that gives you that authority.” Jaal mutters.</p><p>”Actually there is.” Avitus says.</p><p>”Ha! Bow down to me!” Sara crows “<em>Bow down</em>!”</p><p>”Why didn’t you tell us Cora?!” Peebee demands.</p><p>One of Cora’s fingers goes up “One, I do believe I did when Sara went to what we thought was a suicide mission on Aya,” two fingers “and two, the arguments are <em>hilarious</em>!”</p><p>”Yeah, well,” Peebee huffs, “I’m still not reading that book so none of those rules apply to me.”</p><p>”I agree.” Jaal adds.</p><p>”<em>Traitors!</em>” Sara hisses.</p><p>”Wait, human Pathfinder?” Avitus jumps in, “What about Alec Ryder?”</p><p>”His, uh, SAM got transferred to me.” Sara responds. Avitus, knowing the meaning and gravity of that statement, rests a comforting hand on her shoulder.</p><p>”Well, where else can everybody be?” Vetra asks after a moment of silence. “They’re not on the Nexus and they’re not here.”</p><p>”I don’t know, but I’ll start looking into it. By the way, can we hitch a ride to the Nexus?”</p><p>—————</p><p>Jaal wants to visit his friend Thaldyr before they go back to the research station and humbly requests everyone to accompany him.</p><p>”Why?” Liam asks. “I love you like a brother and everything but my allergies are killing me. I don’t know if I love you enough right now for a social call.”</p><p>”It is not I assure you. I seek Akksul.”</p><p>“Come again? The leader of the very people who want to kill us?”</p><p>”Akksul was...a close friend of mine once. I hope to show him the error of this way of thinking.” Jaal looks down. “I do not wish strife among my people. We have enough to deal with concerning the Kett.”</p><p>“Come on Jaal,” Sara says as she grabs his arm, “we can swing by her house on the way.”</p><p>Unfortunately, her house is overrun by Kett and Thaldyr inflicts fatal wounds on herself before they can reach her.</p><p>”Thaldyr, no!” Jaal cries when he sees her. He kneels down next to her and grabs her hand. “We can still save you!”</p><p>She gives a weak laugh. “Oh Jaal, it is too late for that.” She reaches up to touch his face. “Oh but you sound so much like him. Like Akksul.”</p><p>”Do you know where he is?” Jaal whispers.</p><p>”No.” Thaldyr replies, “Oh but Jaal, when you do find him, please be understanding. Like you, he wants only what’s best..” and with one final breath, dies.</p><p>Jaal bows his head, takes a deep breath, and squeezes her hand. “I am sorry Thaldyr, but I do not know if I can promise that.” He whispers.</p><p>Sara kneels next to him. “He must be one charming guy.”</p><p>”He is charming when he needs to be.”</p><p>”It sounds like you two have a bit of a history.” Sara says.</p><p>”Akksul and I were students of the Moshae. We were close, like brothers.” He says, head still bowed. “He was captured and held by the Kett for over a year. He suffered horrifically under them.” He squeezes Thaldyr’s hand tighter. “He managed to escape and made it his life’s goal to cut contact with aliens.”</p><p>Jaal looks up at Sara with anguish in his eyes. “Pathfinder...Sara...the only one who knows of Akksul’s location is the Moshae. But what if we are too late? What if she is already dead?”</p><p>Sara reaches over and takes the hand that was once holding Thaldyr’s, “I can’t promise you that, but I can promise that we will try as hard as we can to get to her.”</p><p>—————</p><p>Sara’s in the cargo bay with Vetra stocking up the Nomad when a loud thump is heard from the storage room that Liam has permanently commandeered. Vetra raises an eyebrow at Sara, who huffs.</p><p>”Well, <em>I’m </em>not the Pathfinder.” Vetra explains. Sara refuses to be disrespectful to Her Lordship so she huffs again and heads to the source of the sound.</p><p>She opens the door and immediately stumbles back as if she hit an invisible wall, covering her eyes “SWEET JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH! I DID NOT MEAN TO INTERRUPT! I’M SORRY!” She shrieks. </p><p>Jaal’s naked and Liam’s shirtless with his thumbs in the top of pants, as if he was in the process of removing them “It’s not what you think!” Liam responds in a panicked voice, “we are trying on armor!”</p><p>”YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIE! THIS IS A JUDGEMENT FREE ZONE!” Sara shrieks again and backs out of the room. She turns and runs toward Vetra. Vetra grabs her arm to stop Sara fleeing as Liam runs out of the store room, holding his shirt.” </p><p>The commotion has attracted Peebee and Gil who were on the top level of the cargo bay, who both come down and stand on either side of Vetra.</p><p>”Oh <em>Jaal</em>,” Peebee purrs once Jaal walks out of the room still naked, “if you <em>ever </em>get lonely you are more than welcome to come to my escape pod. I have <em>many </em>years of experience.”</p><p>Vetra slaps Peebee on the head.</p><p>“If she’s not your cup of tea,” Gil adds with a wink, “you are <em>more </em>than welcome to warm my bed.”</p><p>Vetra slaps Gil on the head with her other hand.</p><p>”What the fuck.” Vetra says looking at Liam and Jaal.</p><p>“They were <em>trying on armor</em>.” Sara says with a whole heap of edginess to it. Why she cares, she doesn’t know.</p><p>”We really were!” Liam insists.</p><p>”Are you talking about the armor you made me make last week?” Vetra asks.</p><p>”Yes!” He says emphatically. </p><p>”Wait, there really was armor?” Sara asks.</p><p>“Yes! We were seeing who had the best armor between angarans and humans!” Liam says, grabbing her arm. “Nothing else! I swear!”</p><p>Sara thinks that whole idea is stupid, but she’s not going to make her seem more unhinged, so she just straightens her posture, tugs at her shirt, looks around at everyone, and says “As you were. Both of you.” </p><p>Liam takes a deep breath and finally puts on his shirt. </p><p>“Jaal, feel free to stay like that. I am really enjoying the view.” Peebee says and Gil makes hums an agreement.</p><p>Vetra slaps them at the same time.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I got the transcript of Jien’s datapad here: https://bsn.boards.net/thread/7479/nexus-jien-garson-murder-case</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Sara was made Pathfinder and her dad transferred SAM to her, SAM had noted gaps in his memory. Apparently, her dad wanted whoever was next Pathfinder to know something, but he had placed memory blocks on them. The only way to unlock them was to progress and grow as a Pathfinder. </p><p>Does this mean that he always meant for Sara or Scott to be next? Or was he going to pass it to Cora? Did he plan on living long enough to do something about it or did he plan on dying young?</p><p>The more Sara learned about her dad, the more questions she had that she feared she would never get the answer to.</p><p>The memories before were harmless: mom, dad being scared about mom, dad being scared about not being a dad and having to, dinners with the family (which hardly ever happened). This memory, though, was troubling.</p><p>It showed Alec, from his point of view, talking to someone who was anonymous: every few seconds the face would change. Human, Turian, Asari, Krogen, Salarian, and the process would repeat. Even though the face would change, the message did not.</p><p>We need you and SAM, and for you not to ask questions. We’ll save your wife, we’ll bring you back from bankruptcy. Sign up for the Andromeda Initiative. </p><p>The whole thing seemed sinister. It felt as if there really was a monster under the bed.</p><p>She was halfway to Liam’s quarters on the Hyperion before she realized what she was doing. <br/><br/></p><p><em>Well,</em> Sara thought, <em>if he’s willing to help with Knight, maybe he’ll be willing to help with this.</em></p><p><em>Maybe not</em>, the devil on her shoulder said, <em>maybe he’s tired of you constantly getting into shit.</em></p><p>Sara knocked before the devil could talk her out of it.</p><p>”Hey Sara!” Liam said. “What’s going on?”</p><p>”Can I come in?” She asked. Liam stood to the side and held his arm out in assent. She sits backwards in a computer chair facing Liam and he on the bed.</p><p>”What’s going on?” He asked. Sara took a moment, not knowing where to start. “Sara?”</p><p>”My dad had some weird protocol.” She began, “He had certain memories locked that could only be unlocked the further I progressed as a Pathfinder.” Liam just looked at her.</p><p>”This recent one was when my dad signed up for the Andromeda Initiative.” She ran a finder over the chair. “SAM is not your usual AI interface. He’s apart of me. He can access parts of my physiology. He can boost or lower heart rate, he can change parts of my neural system, he can basically rewrite my whole body. It also allows SAM to feel what I feel. He can learn like a human.” Liam leaned forward, resting his elbows on the top of his thighs.</p><p>”So you’re basically super human now?” He asks. She folds her arms on top of the chair and rests her head on her arms.</p><p>”I don’t know.” She whispers. “I didn’t ask for this, Liam. I don’t even know what all he’s done to the SAM program. I’m basically a guinea pig and I sort of hate it.”</p><p>”I know.” He says, voice at the same level. “Why did he alter the program?”</p><p>”To save my mom’s life. She had a neuro disorder. He thought SAM could save her life. Guess it didn’t work.” She sniffs, head still lowered. “The most recent memory showed me that the Council was completely against it and dishonorably discharged him.”</p><p>”Why was he allowed into the Andromeda Initiative then?”</p><p>”Some mysterious benefactor got in contact with him. Changed the face and the voice, but offered him a spot into the Initiative in return for money to help finish the SAM project. Said that we would need SAM to ensure humanity’s survival.”</p><p>”Did they say why we would need SAM?”</p><p>”No, just for him not to ask questions.”</p><p>Liam was quiet for a second. “Do you...do you think they had your dad killed?”</p><p>”Possible.” She whispers. “I don’t even know what to do.”</p><p>”Well, we figure out who this mysterious benefactor is.”</p><p>”Liam,” she squeezes her eyes shut, “do you ever get tired of this? First Knight, now this. I just don’t want to keep adding onto your plate.” Liam gets off the bed and kneels next to her. </p><p>”I told you that you have more support than think, and I mean that. I’m here for you.” Liam replies and Sara smiles.</p><p>”It’s shitty that Jien died in the scourge. We could have asked her who else helped with the project.”</p><p>”Maybe Director Tann knows.” Liam offers. </p><p>—————</p><p>“<em>Why </em>do you want to know?” Tann asks shrewdly.</p><p>”Just curious.” Sara replies.</p><p>”Why don’t I believe that.” He responds dryly.</p><p>”Director Tann, if I may,” Liam jumps in, “we are the face of the Andromeda Initiative. We are the first people that new aliens see. We just want to know the history so we can represent the Initiative with the respect it deserves.”</p><p>Tann raises on eyebrow. “As far as I know, Jien Garson, rest her soul, was the only one who funded and developed the project.” He says slowly.</p><p>”How did she die?” Sara asks, and Tann whips his head towards her to narrow his eyes at her.</p><p>”The scourge.” He states.</p><p>”We know that.” Liam says. “But how? Did she hit her head or something? Get caught underneath a beam? Drowned in her bathtub?” Tann whips his head back to Liam.</p><p>”I don’t know, I was still in stasis when she died. All I know is that they found her in her quarters, dead and by the time I woke up, we had more pressing issues.” Tann closes his eyes. “Look, Ryder, Kosta, whatever it is I don’t want to know. And for gods sake, don’t let it get out.”</p><p>”Well that was helpful.” Sara mutters once they leave.</p><p>”Pathfinder, Director Tann mentioned that Jien Garson died in her room.” SAM says, “maybe we can find some clues there.”</p><p>A short while and a hack later finds them both in her living room.</p><p>“This is creepy.” Sara says, “They tidied up her room but left her stuff here.”</p><p>”Maybe as a sign of respect.” Liam says. They poke around and find a hidden latch behind a bookcase.</p><p>”Woah.” Liam says once the room is revealed. “She was paranoid.”</p><p>Computers lined the entire room, floor to ceiling. Some screens showed surveillance systems, others showed life signs of various stasis pods. It seemed as if the system was monitoring random pods of arks attached to the Nexus.</p><p>In the center of a room sat a large rectangular table. On the table sat many folders, some opened and some closed, with an audio log in the middle of the table.</p><p>
  <em>This is Jien Garson, I don’t have much time, I’ve been hiding in the sealed-off sections of the Nexus since we got here. Someone’s trying to kill me. And now I can hear them down in the hydroponics area – they’re coming. I’ve embedded what I know in my VI in the Cultural Center. This log has the code. And whatever happens – oh god, they’re outside the door!”</em>
</p><p>Sara and Liam shared horrified looks at each other. </p><p>”I don’t think she died from an accident.” Liam said.</p><p>“Nope, no, I don’t think she did.” Sara said, “Come on, let’s go to the cultural center.”</p><p>Once there, Liam heads off to distract the curator while Sara hovers near the VI. </p><p>”SAM,” Sara whispers, “can you record it so Liam and I can hear it later?”</p><p>”Of course, Pathfinder.”</p><p>It’s only a few minutes until Sara’s got a copy of the code and she grabs Liam. Once back in her room, they both sit on the bed and she hits play.</p><p>
  <em>For years, there was a silent partner involved with the Initiative. The truth is, I was running out of money. Then a ‘benefactor’ stepped in. I didn’t ask questions. I never met them face-to-face. That was a mistake… I lied to everyone. Something big spooked them in the Milky Way, and now they’re moving 100,000 of us to Andromeda. I hope it’s all for the good, but… I have my doubts. And now I think they’re going to remove me. Alec Ryder and I had a codeword for this: “Fulcram.” He may have learned more.”</em>
</p><p>”What could she mean?” Liam asked.</p><p>“It sounds like humanity is giving up on the Milky Way.” Sara responded. “It almost sounds like they’re abandoning everyone else. Almost like...we’re humanity’s last hope.”</p><p>—————</p><p>Evfra’s intel suggests that Moshae Sjefa was being held in a large Kett holding facility in Voeld. They meet the resistance fighters who are going to fly them in. In a shuttle. Which Sara’s not too keen on.</p><p>Ever since Habitat 7, she’s been weary of shuttles. Free falling with no parachute or jets gives you a certain complex. The fact that the sheer luck of the shuttle being a little low and ejecting her over a mountain so she didn’t fall far gives her nightmares: a little higher or a little further out and she’d be dead. Objectively, she knew the signs of a panic attack; feeling her heart racing and her limbs going numb is a different matter entirely.</p><p>Something must have showed on her face because Liam reaches out and grabs her arm. They look at each other and he nods his head.</p><p>”Right, let’s go.”</p><p>A (thankfully) short and uneventful ride later finds the team and three resistance fighters in front of the shield covering the facility.</p><p>”Right,” one of the fighters said, “we’ve marked a node which can be hacked to disable the shield. You can use your SAM to do that.”</p><p>It takes a couple moments for the shield to be hacked. A small hole appears and everyone sneaks through. They crawl toward a large vent and crawl inside.</p><p>”Our intel suggests that this is the best point to infiltrate. There are no patrols passing through here.”</p><p>”That’s fine and all, but how do we get through the vent?” Cora asks.</p><p>”I got this.” Drack says as he kicks a hole in the vent cover.</p><p>”Well, that’s one way of doing it.” Peebee says. Vetra rolls her eyes and is the first one through.</p><p>The first room is overrun with Kett, but it doesn’t take long to clear the room.</p><p>”I think it’s best to split up.” One of the fighters says.</p><p>”That’s probably best. A large group can attract too much attention.” Drack says.</p><p>”Okay,” Sara says as she holsters her weapon. “Liam, Jaal, and Peebee with me. Drack, Cora, and Vetra with the resistance.”</p><p>”Good idea Pathfinder.” A fighter says, “We can provide a distraction so you can find the Moshae.”</p><p>”I like distractions.” Drack says.</p><p>”Of course you do,” Sara states, “but stay safe and don’t get yourself killed.</p><p>”Pathfinder, no one joins the resistance to stay safe.”</p><p>They crawl through vents and up ladders but they run into no Kett. They drop down into a room which triggers the room to lockdown. </p><p>”SAM, what is this?”</p><p>”It is a decontamination room.” SAM replies.</p><p>”Can you get us out of it?”</p><p>”I cannot. You will have to wait until the process is complete.” </p><p>”I do not like this.” Jaal says.</p><p>Once the process is complete, both sets of doors open to what can best be described as an observation room. The view it overlooked showed a line of Kett in a semi-circle, with four angarans in front of them, facing four pods and another Kett.</p><p>”What the actual hell?” Peebee asks.</p><p>The lone Kett in front raises his arms to the sky, lifting his head as if he was in prayer. In response, the line of Kett also raise their arms in a prayer. The angarans stay still.</p><p>”What the fuck?” Liam whispers, “It almost seems like a religious ceremony,”</p><p>”It looks like those angarans are in a trance.” Jaal says. “But how, why?”</p><p>”I don’t know, but we really have to find the Moshae.” Sara responds as the angarans below step into the pods. “Maybe she’s in one of those pods?”</p><p>An explosion rocks the facility. “Protect the Moshae! She must prepare for final exultation?” The Kett in charge cries out.</p><p>”We must find her first!” Jaal cries in response.</p><p>Moshae pod pulled out</p><p>“Pathfinder, I have marked the location where they store the pods.” SAM says.</p><p>”Come on guys, let’s go check out that room.” Sara orders.</p><p>They find a few Kett along the way, but reach the room in no time. The room reaches higher than the room can see, with hundreds and hundreds of pods on conveyor belts. The center of the room is slightly raised compared to the rest of the room, with a console in the middle of it.</p><p>”Keep an eye out,” Sara says, walking up to the console, “I’m going to have SAM hack the console to see if the Moshae’s here.” </p><p>A few minutes later, Jaal hisses “What is taking so long?”</p><p>”I am decrypting an alien console in an alien language that is foreign to me.” SAM definitely has learned sarcasm <em>fast</em>.</p><p>It doesn’t take SAM long after that before he says, “The Moshae’s pod has been removed moments ago to be taken to the launch area for transport. I have marked the location.”</p><p>”We have to go!” Jaal exclaims. They run into the next room, which is a decontamination chamber.</p><p>The decontamination process has only just started when Peebee, in front of the window, gasps “Oh my god.”</p><p>The team runs to where she is standing. They look to see the Kett who was in charge earlier floating up to a pod. The pod opens up and releases an unconscious naked angaran, who wakes up after a few seconds. He gasps when the Kett takes out two large needles and stabs the angaran with both of them.</p><p>”No!” Jaal cries as he bangs on the glass. “Stand back! I will shoot out the window!”</p><p>”I would advise against that.” SAM interjects, “The windows are invulnerable.”</p><p>They are helpless and horrified to see the angaran writhe around in the air, and watch him slowly transform into a Kett.</p><p>”Oh my stars.” Jaal says sorrowfully, “They are...us.”</p><p>The Kett floats back down and goes to another pod. He opens it up and he catches the Moshae before she can hit the ground. The Kett drags her out, leaving the newly transformed Kett still in the room.</p><p>The decontamination process completes and with a hiss, the door opens. </p><p>The Kett in the room turn around at the sound and immediately starts firing upon the tram.</p><p>”Do not shoot him!” Jaal yells, “He is one of us!”</p><p>”He’s shooting at <em>us</em>!” Liam yells out.</p><p>It’s four against one which brings down the lone enemy in no time. </p><p>Jaal runs to the body and kneels next to it.</p><p>”This entire time, they were us.” He sobs. “How many have I killed?”</p><p>Sara walks over and lays a hand on his shoulder, “It’s not your fault Jaal. It’s the Kett’s. They’re the ones responsible.”</p><p>”I am angry, and heartbroken.” Jaal cries out in pain. “How many of my friends? How many of my family?” He grabs Sara’s hand. “We must save the others! They cannot suffer this same fate!”</p><p>”That is not part of the mission.” Liam insists, “We are here for the Moshae.”</p><p>“You cannot be serious!” Jaal yells, “We cannot leave the rest here! Or are you too heartless to care?”</p><p>”Jaal,” Sara interjects, “We will go after the others.”</p><p>Liam looks affronted but it seems to calm Jaal down. He nods and the team exits out the same door the Moshae was carried out of.</p><p>They find the Kett carrying the Moshae down the loading ramp as Sara bellows our “STOP!”</p><p>The Kett turns around and drops the Moshae. “You should have been dead by now, but it looks like I have to do it myself.” He raises his hand, summons a shield, and begins attacking.</p><p>It’s a brutal, long drawn out fight. Sara gets fried a few times, and is pretty sure her whole body is either bruised or burned. She thinks she may have sprained her ankle evading an attack, but fights through the pain. Eventually, the amount of people against the lone Kett wins out, and he drops.</p><p>Jaal’s the first one to reach the Moshae. “Moshae Sjefa!” He grabs, pulling her to her feet. “Are you ok?”</p><p>”I will be fine.” She replies, still a little wobbly on her feet. “Jaal...your alien friends. They are <em>fierce</em>!” <br/><br/>Drack, Cora, Vetra, and the four resistance fighters catch up to them.</p><p>”I had SAM put in a code when we hacked that shield so we can blow this place up. We just have to rescue...” Sara starts.</p><p>”No!” The Kett who they just fought cries out as she stumbles to his feet, very obviously not dead, “You cannot destroy those place! This is a place of <em>worship</em>!”</p><p>”A place of <em>worship?!” </em>Sara says, incredibly. “You think this is all a good thing?”</p><p>”We offer a <em>gift</em>!” The Kett responds. “The archon gives us part of his DNA, and we are transformed into his image of perfection!”</p><p>”That’s a little creepy.” Interjects Vetra.</p><p>”Please!” The Kett begs, “I will do anything! I will release your friends! Just leave this holy place intact!”</p><p>”No!” Moshae Sjefa says, “You must blow this place up. These...things will only abduct more of my people and give them this horrible ‘gift’” </p><p>“Pathfinder,” one of the resistance fighters jumps in, “our pilot radioed in and said a violent snowstorm is coming in. We need to leave <em>now</em>.”</p><p>”We must rescue our people!” Jaal insists.</p><p>”We must blow this place up!” Moshae Sjefa states. “To prevent more of this!”</p><p>”We cannot abandon them!” Jaal yells out and turns to Sara, “You told me we were going to rescue them! <em>You told me</em>!” and there is such pain in his voice that it catches Sara’s breath. Both of them are looking at her to break the tie.</p><p>”Not to add onto anything,” Liam says weakly. Sara looks over and notices that he’s holding his side. He looks at her and removes his hand from his side. The hand comes away bloody.</p><p>Oh shit and <em>fuck</em>. This is just all to much. Sara’s starting to panic, and everyone’s looking at her to make a decision.</p><p>Blow up the Kett facility or save the angarans?</p><p>Jaal or Moshae Sjefa?</p><p>It actually slightly alarms her how fast she comes to a decision. While she feels for Jaal, and you would have to drag her screaming if it meant leaving her team behind, she just cannot fault the Moshae’s logic. Kill a few to save a hundred. When the fuck did it become a non issue to think like this? To think like her dad?</p><p>”SAM,” she says slowly with sorrow in her voice and looking at Jaal, “rig the facility to blow.”</p><p>The look of betrayal on his face cuts deep.</p><p>Sara can’t think too much about it as she runs to Liam’s side. </p><p>”Liam, can you move?”</p><p>”You wish to save your friend but do not try to save mine?” Jaal asks, outraged.</p><p>”Jaal, now is not the time.” Moshae Sjefa admonishes.</p><p>It’s a slow go, with Liam stumbling and Moshae Sjefa summoning a shield dome for them to use. They reach the end of the platform.</p><p>”Where is the shuttle?” Cora yells.</p><p>”We are taking heavy fire. We’ll be there shortly.”  The pilot radios in. </p><p>”We have to make a stand here!” Drack yells.</p><p>Liam leans up against the wall and slides down. “I’ll just stay here.”</p><p>Wave after wave of Kett descend upon them. They’re starting to get overwhelmed when Vetra calls out “Any time now would be <em>fantastic</em>!”</p><p>”Here we are!” The pilot radios in cheerfully. Sara pulls Liam off of the wall and pushes him into the shuttle.</p><p>The last image of the facility is of it going down in flames.</p><p>—————</p><p>They’re beamed onto the Tempest and Moshae Sjefa and Liam are immediately taken to medbay by Jaal and Sara.</p><p>”You’re lucky.” Lexi says. “The injury to your side missed all your vital organs, but you’re going to be sore. You’ll need to take it easy for the next few days, and if you feel any discomfort, you <em>immediately </em>come here.”</p><p>Liam beams up at Lexi, “A doctor’s note to play hooky for a few days? I’m down.”</p><p>Lexi laughs and swats his arm. “You get out of here.” </p><p>As Liam walks out, he stops and nods his head in acknowledgment to Sara.</p><p>Moshae Sjefa reaches out and grabs Sara’s hand, “That was a very brave thing you did back there.”</p><p>”Didn’t feel brave.” Sara says quietly. “People still died.” Moshae Sjefa squeezes Sara’s hand in response.</p><p>”You made a difficult decision during the heat of battle. You made the best choice in a situation where there are no clear winners.” Moshae Sjefa turns and glares at Jaal, “and do not let <em>anyone </em>tell you differently.”</p><p>”I am so sorry, Moshae.” Jaal says, grabbing her other hand.</p><p>”Oh Jaal,” she removes her hand that held Jaal’s and cups his face, “You are forgiven. Pain and suffering are unfortunately a part of our life now. What you choose to do with that is the true test of character. One which I know you will pass, my dear.”</p><p>”Now go rest, my child, I must speak with the Pathfinder.”</p><p>Moshae Sjefa turns to Sara once Jaal leaves, “Jaal tells me you wish to entire Aya’s vault.”</p><p>”Will you help us?” Sara whispers.</p><p>”Of course. You’ve earned my trust and respect with that difficult decision.”</p><p>They spend the next half hour discussing Moshae Sjefa’s tune as a prisoner of the Kett and the reason for Sara’s visit to Aya’s vault. She leaves medbay with a hug and a new friend.</p><p>—————</p><p>Sara takes a deep breath for what she needs to do next: talk to Jaal.</p><p>She walks into the room Jaal has claimed as his laboratory to find him facing away from the door, looking out the window.</p><p>”Do you have any family here?” He asks softly.</p><p>”Just my brother, but he’s in a coma.” She responds as she sits on a crate.</p><p>”If you do not mind me asking, where are your parents?”</p><p>”They’re both dead. Mom died a few years ago, dad died when we first got here. He’s the reason I’m Pathfinder.” </p><p>”Were you close to them? Your family?” He asks, still looking out the window. Sara leans forward to rest her arms on her legs.</p><p>”My dad was in the military, so he was gone a lot. But he tried his best when he was there. Mom mostly raised us, but she was busy with work. But Scott and I were thick as thieves, though. We did everything together. He’s the reason I joined the Initiative.”</p><p>”Oh?” Jaal asks, turning around to face Sara.</p><p>”Yeah, he joined for the greater good. I joined partially to make sure he didn’t kill himself doing something stupid. But mostly, I joined because he’s my twin brother and we’re ridiculously codependent on each other.”</p><p>Jaal smiles as he sits down next to her on the crate. “So, where we he goes, you go?”</p><p>”Yup, and wherever I go he goes. He won’t admit it, but he needs me too. He needs someone sane around him to tell him that his ideas are stupid.”</p><p>”So what you’re saying is, home is not a place but the people you choose to be around?” Jaal asks.</p><p>”That’s one way of putting it.” Sara states.</p><p>”Aya has been my home for a long time. But here, I feel like I have a purpose here. A place here.”</p><p>”Of course you do.” Sara says as she grabs his hand. “You’re my friends. You’re <em>our </em>friend.”</p><p>”I am sorry for my anger earlier. I should not have doubted you.” Jaal sniffles.</p><p>”Don’t worry about it. I doubt myself <em>all </em>the time. I just hide it better.”</p><p>Jaal smiles, “So, friends?”</p><p>”Friends.”</p><p>—————</p><p>Sara’s feeling lighter as she checks in on Liam in his room in the cargo bay. He’s laying down on the couch in the standard white shirt and pants that’s the Tempest uniform.</p><p>”How ya feeling?” She asks. </p><p>”Like I got shot.” He says, sitting up, “Getting shot <em>sucks</em>.”</p><p>Sara laughs as she sits down next to him. “Can’t say I know what that feels like .”</p><p>”Well, hopefully now that I’m here you won’t have to know what that feels like.”</p><p>”Aww, you’re going to protect me?” She asks as she bats her eyes at him, “You’re like my knight in shining N7 armor.”</p><p>He points a finger gun towards her and winks, “You know it.”</p><p>”So romantic.”</p><p>”I try.”</p><p>They sit there for a few minutes in silence when Liam says, “You know, when I signed up I knew it was going to be hard, but being in the middle of this shit is another matter entirely.”</p><p>”Ain’t that the truth.” Sara says.</p><p>”I mean, we’ve been fighting for our lives since we woke up.”</p><p>Sara hums, “Habitat 7 was a long time ago.”</p><p>”How long has it been? A few months?” Liam asks.</p><p>”Feels like years ago.” Sara responds.</p><p>”Like a whole lifetime ago.” Liam smiles at her, “and we’ve been together through it all.” Sara smiles in response.</p><p>She’s starting to get a funny feeling in her stomach.</p><p>Liam suddenly sits up straight. “Did you bring anything on the ride over here?”</p><p>”Officially no,” Sara laughs, “but I did sneak a few photo albums on board.”</p><p>”When I was a teenager, my dad and I bought this really old petrol car and we would fix it up in the weekends. It was a bitch to work on, but we got it roughly working by the time I went into the military. I was going to work on it some more when I got leave, but then I got recruited by your dad. My dad did me a solid though. He booked it on a cargo ship for me. It’s somewhere out there, right now, headed towards us.”</p><p>Sara laughs, “A cargo ship? You’re going to be waiting a very, very long time.” Liam smiles sadly.</p><p>”I know.” He says softly, staring at the ground “It’s the thought that something is out there, waiting for me, makes me feel less alone.”</p><p>”Liam, you’re not alone.” Sara says, grabbing his hand. “You’ve got me.”</p><p>When Liam looks up at her, that funny feeling in her stomach intensifies and she can’t breathe, and it isn’t until he’s leaning forward that it clicks what it is.</p><p>Lust, and want.</p><p>She meets him halfway, grabbing his face and kissing him as hard as she can. He licks his way into her mouth, and she pushes as far as she can against him. They stay like that for what simultaneously feels like a second and an hour. She swears all of her blood rushes south and <em>fuck being romantic. </em>She’s going to ride him hard and fast <em>right now</em>, and they can do the sweet, sappy sex later (which hopefully is a later).</p><p>She pushes him back onto the couch and climbs on top, taking off her shirt. She’s halfway done taking off her bra with Liam grabs her hips and says, “slow down or else I might not last long. It’s been a while since I’ve done this last.”</p><p>”I swear,” she says, finally getting her bra off and resting her forehead against his. She starts to rub her thumb over his lips and whispers the rest, “if you make a dumb joke about it being 600 years since you’ve last had sex I <em>will </em>walk out here, leaving you with the worst case of blue balls <em>ever</em>.”</p><p>Liam laughs and reaches to unbutton her pants. “Careful,” he says as he pulls her pants down. “You heard what Lexi said. I’m <em>injured</em>. You don’t want to injure me further do you?”</p><p>”Poor Liam.” Sara laughs, “SAM, can you lock the door? Please?”</p><p>”Yes, Pathfinder.”</p><p>”We also have to be <em>quiet</em>.” Liam whispers as he takes off his shirt, “You don’t want the rest of the team know what you’re doing.”</p><p>”Or who. And Liam?” She grins wickedly as she takes off his pants, “I would be more worried about <em>you </em>being quiet than me.”</p><p>Liam returns her evil grin with one just as wicked, “Oh, we shall <em>see</em>.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Laws of physics? I hardly knew ye.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Not beta read</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It would be cliche to say that it was the best sex Sara’s ever had. It wasn’t, though his mouth could make a mute nun scream to high heaven. She’s had plenty of sex before, unlike Scott who thinks she’s the Virgin Mary who’s saving herself for marriage. The only difference between her and Scott is that she generally is dating her sex partners, while that’s not a requirement for Scott (“I’m here for a good time not a long time.”)</p>
<p>It would also be cliche to say that it was so romantic that it was then they knew they were in love. They weren’t. For one, they’ve only known each other for what? 2 months? 3 months? Sara doesn’t know, time is an allusion lately when you’re trying not to die. And for two, this isn’t a rom com movie where they live happily ever after.</p>
<p>It would be safe to say they fucked all night in the storeroom. They probably got three hours of actual sleep, because Sara wants to go back to her quarters to clean up before the morning meeting. First off, she’s leaving the storeroom early to avoid everyone else seeing her do the walk of shame. Secondly, she wants to look put together and not like she just fell out of bed (or in this case, a couch).</p>
<p>She drinks two cups of coffee, showers, puts on some freshly laundered clothes and walks to the morning meeting and sits two chairs down from Liam. They both avoid looking at each other as if they hadn’t seen each other naked all night.</p>
<p>Which is why it’s a fucking shock that Vetra, who’s the last one in and sits across the table from Sara, takes one look at both of them and slides her data pad and slides it to Cora.</p>
<p>”Pay up, Harper.” Vetra smirks.</p>
<p>”Sara!” Cora admonishes before putting her thumb on Vetra’s datapad, “You’re supposed to <em>wait </em>until Scott wakes up!”</p>
<p>”What.” Sara deadpans. Cora slides the datapad back to Vetra.</p>
<p>”Pleasure doing business with you.” Vetra says.</p>
<p>Suvi, who’s sitting next to Sara, turns and says. “<em>Please </em>tell me you didn’t have sex on that couch. <em>Please</em>!” </p>
<p>“What?” Sara says a bit more forcefully, looking at Liam who’s looking a bit alarmed. Suvi grabs Sara’s arm.</p>
<p>”The couch. In the storeroom. Sex?”</p>
<p>”<em>What?!”</em></p>
<p>“As your lord and savior, I demand you answer the question.” Vetra says.</p>
<p>”Oh my god.” Liam groans, dropping his head back.</p>
<p>Sara rewinds the conversation to find the question, “Maybe? Yes? Yes.”</p>
<p>”Sara!” Liam whispers and Vetra’s smirk grows larger and pushes the datapad to Suvi.</p>
<p>”Anwar, if you please.”</p>
<p>”Sara!” Suvi says as she puts her thumb on the datapad, “Beds are a <em>thing. </em>Your bed is the comfiest bed other than yours on the Nexus and you choose that nasty couch? It should be Pathfinder Protocol to have sex in actual <em>beds</em>.”</p>
<p>”The couch isn’t <em>that bad</em>!” Liam insists.</p>
<p>Jaal, who’s sitting next to Moshae Sjefa, pipes up, “Does that mean you two are a couple now? Yes?”</p>
<p>”<em>No</em>!” Liam and Sara insist at the same time. Jaal’s face falls and the Moshae raises an eyebrow. Vetra’s smile can rival the fucking <em>sun</em>.</p>
<p>The pad passes first to Jaal, then to Peebee who shrieks, “<em>Sara</em>! How could you not! I mean, Liam’s so <em>sweet</em>! You can’t just use him like that! It’s like, kicking babies!”</p>
<p>”What!” Sara’s voice is strained, “In the ever loving <em>fuck </em>is going on?!”</p>
<p>”Vetra conning us out of house and home.” Cora grumbles.</p>
<p>”You guys,” Sara points around the table, “made a bet on <em>us having sex?!” </em>She cannot believe she’s having this conversation.</p>
<p>”Honey,” Vetra says as if she’s talking to a 4 year old “People in the <em>Milky Way </em>can see the sexual tension between you two. I saw an opportune moment and took it.” </p>
<p>”<em>What?!” </em>Sara says with a hint of panic in her voice. Liam’s face has been frozen in shock the entire time, at a loss for words.</p>
<p>”Except Drack.” Vetra glares at the krogen. “Fucker wouldn’t <em>bite</em>.”</p>
<p>”Hey, I know a loss when I see one.” He says.</p>
<p>”The only one to recognize my brilliance.” Vetra mutters.</p>
<p>”Hey!” Cora shouts, “I said I became a believer with those headache potions! I shouldn’t have to pay.”</p>
<p>Vetra smirks her smirkiest smirk, “True, but one must lay in ones bed that one has made. Plus, you didn’t use a take backsies.”</p>
<p>”Shouldn’t have to once converted to Vetranity.” Cora mutters.</p>
<p>”<em>Can we go back to the part about  sex bets!”</em> Sara shrieks, “Please!”</p>
<p>Gil rolls his eyes, “Please. You two have been headed towards sex since Eos.”</p>
<p>”<em>Eos</em>?” Sara shrieks </p>
<p>“<em>How</em>?” Liam finally adds.</p>
<p>”The second time.” Vetra clarifies.</p>
<p>”<em>Eos</em>?!” Sara repeats.</p>
<p>”Please,”  Cora says, “I figured it out the first time we went to Aya. I had to physically hold him back when the Archon called us.”</p>
<p>“<em>Aya</em>?!” Liam shouts as Sara shouts <em>“Eos?!</em>”</p>
<p>”Kid,” Drack interjects, “As much as I’d like to sit back and watch this, you nearly keeled over when you thought the Pathfinder was in love with Vetra.”</p>
<p>“What.” A stricken Liam gets out.</p>
<p>”I thought you were going to fight me in the ice cave when you wanted her to rest.” Jaal says as the Moshae tries to stifle a laugh.</p>
<p>”You two cuddled over a grave.” Peebee adds.</p>
<p>”Oh my god.” Liam says as he buries his face in his hands. “It wasn’t <em>cuddling</em>.”</p>
<p>”Oh my god what is even this conversation.” What is even Sara’s   <em>life </em>right now.</p>
<p>”You know Jaal, I see why you like these aliens.” The Moshae says, “They are <em>fascinating!</em>”</p>
<p>Liam puts his head up and points at Vetra, “I can’t believe you’re profiting off of my sex life.”</p>
<p>”Oh that’s nothing.” Vetra says as she waves Liam and Sara’s pain like an annoying gnat, “I’m going to get double, no <em>triple </em>the earnings when Kallo and Gil finally give into temptation.”</p>
<p>The effect is immediate as Kallo and Gil push their chairs back from the table as Kallo releases a scream that dogs on Mars can hear.</p>
<p>”<em>What?!</em>” Gil screeches.</p>
<p>”I can confirm that the hate sex between you two are the fodder of many fantasies currently being played out on the Nexus.” Peebee states.</p>
<p>”I GOTTA GO CHECK ON CARGO BAY!” Gil shouts as he runs down the stairs. </p>
<p>”I GOTTA GO CHECK ON MY CHAIR!” Kallo shrieks as he follows suit.</p>
<p>“Absolutely <em>fascinating!” </em>Says the Moshae.</p>
<p>—————</p>
<p>They return to a ticker tape parade on Aya. Sara makes a mental note to ask Moshae Sjefa how to work a crowd because she’s straight owning it. She mentions this to Jaal who replies with “She is much loved in our culture.”</p>
<p>They meet Paaran Shie, mayor, at the bottom of the ramp who calls out “Stars and skies you have returned to us!”</p>
<p>”May stars and skies light your way.” Moshae Sjefa responds while giving Paaran a hug.</p>
<p>“I was so worried that you were lost! I could not sleep knowing the Kett had you!” Paaran exclaims.</p>
<p>”I would not have returned had it not been for Pathfinder Ryder and her crew. She has earned my eternal gratitude!” The Moshae announces to the entire crowd.</p>
<p>”What about my family?!” Someone calls out, “They killed hundreds of our people.” </p>
<p>”On <em>my </em>advice and council.” Moshae Sjefa stresses before the jeering gets too loud and points a finger to the crowd, “would you say the same to me? Why treat these aliens, who have prevented the future slaughter of our people, any different than I? Those of us who died there, died a hero. If you had seen the inside of that horrible facility such as I you would not be saying those words.”</p>
<p>The crowd goes silent, then erupts in praises.</p>
<p>”I like her.” Vetra whispers, “She’s got <em>spunk</em>.”</p>
<p>”Thank you for returning the Moshae to us. You have no idea what she means to us.” Paaran says.</p>
<p>”It wasn’t just me, it was a group effort.” Says Sara.</p>
<p>“Nevertheless, your actions in not only returning the Moshae, but your work on Havarl and Voeld have proven your good will. I would be honored to discuss an alliance with your people.”</p>
<p>”Thank you so much.” Sara replies. “But what about Evfra?”</p>
<p>”You let me deal with him.” The Moshae says.</p>
<p>”Definitely like her.” Cora says under her breath.</p>
<p>”I will escort the Moshae to Evfra. Feel free to explore the city.” Paaran states</p>
<p>”Let me know when you are ready, and I shall take you to Aya’s vault” The Moshae says as her and Paaran wall away.</p>
<p>”Jaal, report to headquarters for reassignment.” Someone walks up and says.</p>
<p>”Reassignment?” Jaal frowns, “My work here is not done.”</p>
<p>The soldier looks incredibly bored and says in a tone of voice that strongly implies he’d rather be anywhere else than here, “Your assignment was to escort the Pathfinder to Havarl, Voeld, and the Moshae. Seeing how all of those have been resolved, your work is done.”</p>
<p>”Jaal has a place on my ship.” Sara jumps in, “He’s even got a lab set up and everything.”</p>
<p>Jaal nods his head, “And I haven’t even packed! And the <em>paperwork</em>. Permission to remain aboard the Tempest, sir.”</p>
<p>The soldier rolls his eyes, “Figured you’d say that. Permission granted.” He says as he walks away.</p>
<p>”Thank you Sara.” Jaal says with a smile. “I must go see one of my mothers. She has been extremely worried about me.” </p>
<p>“One of?” Peebee asks while Jaal walks away.</p>
<p>Everyone starts to walk away to explore the city until it’s just Liam and Sara.</p>
<p>“So.” Liam starts.</p>
<p>”So.” Sara repeats.</p>
<p>“Last night got kinda weird, huh?” He’s looking everywhere but at Sara.</p>
<p>“Weird?” She asks.</p>
<p>”Not in a bad way.” He explains quickly, “I mean, the whole, you know, ‘thing’ with you was good. Very, <em>very </em>good. It’s, you know, everything else.”</p>
<p>”Liam,” Sara rolls her eyes, “the entire <em>night </em>was ‘the whole thing with me’. If you regret it, just let me know and I’ll forget it.”</p>
<p>”No!” Liam yells, scaring a few angaran around them, “That’s not what I mean.”</p>
<p>”Then what do you mean? Words, Kosta, use them.” She says with a bit more anger than she intends.</p>
<p>”I <em>mean</em>,” he stresses, hugging his arms to his chest and looking nervous, “if all you want is just sex, let me know. I’m a big boy, I can control my feelings.”</p>
<p>Sara holds her breath, “I mean,” she looks around just as nervous as he, “that’s not <em>not </em>what I want. I generally don’t do sex with no strings attached.”</p>
<p>”Yeah, me neither.” Liam agrees a little too fast, “But I really kind of like you a little too much and am interested to see where it goes?” He asks as he rocks back and forth on his heels.</p>
<p>Sara smiles, “Yeah, me too.”</p>
<p>A big grin breaks out on Liam’s face, “Brilliant!” He says, “I’m just gonna...?” He asks while gesturing around.</p>
<p>”Yeah, go have fun.” Sara waves a hand dismissively. Ge gets maybe ten steps when she calls out his name. </p>
<p>”Yeah?” Liam asks, turning around. Sara walks up to him with a sly smile.</p>
<p>”If you want, you can check out my bed on the Tempest. Like Suvi said, Pathfinder Protocol and all that.”</p>
<p>Liam returns her smile with one of his own, “I just might.”</p>
<p>—————</p>
<p>They meet up with the Moshae an hour later. Sara’s still a bit frightened of shuttles, but she tries not to show it. The only sign of discomfort is her gripping Liam’s hand in a death grip. Cora notices and smirks at her. Sara looks away pretending Cora doesn’t exist.</p>
<p>As they walk into the vault, Peebee suddenly announces “Hey! No murder fog!”</p>
<p>”Good.” Drack grumbles, “My knee’s been acting up today. Don’t know if I can be fast today.”</p>
<p>”Murder fog?” Moshae Sjefa asks.</p>
<p>”I’ll explain later.” Jaal responds.</p>
<p>Sara interfaces with the console and a map similar to the one they saw on Eos materializes in front of them.</p>
<p>”This is amazing!” The Moshae exclaims, “I’ve never seen this!”</p>
<p>”We saw something similar on Eos, but that one didn’t have that symbol in the middle.” Sara says, pointing to a triangle in the middle, where all of the lines converge.</p>
<p>”I saw an artifact that looked just like that in the Archon’s office.” The Moshae says, “He thought I knew how to work it.”</p>
<p>”What did he want with it?” Cora asks.</p>
<p>”He says that it’s part of the control panel for Meridian. That’s why he kept me alive for so long. He thought I could teach him how to work it.”</p>
<p>”Control panel for what?” Peebee asks.</p>
<p>”I’m guessing a control panel for all the vaults.” Sara responds, looking at the map and following the lines connecting the dots that represent vaults.</p>
<p>“So,” Vetra says slowly, “if the Archon manages to work that thing...”</p>
<p>”He could destroy <em>all </em>life.” Liam says, sounding alarmed.</p>
<p>”But!” Peebee interjects, “If <em>we </em>control it, we could stop that! Or terraform planets!”</p>
<p>”We gotta get to Meridian before he does.” Sara firmly states, “We <em>can’t </em>let him destroy any more lives than he already has.”</p>
<p>”Pathfinder,” Moshae Sjefa grabs Sara’s arm, “the first aliens we ever met were the Kett. They promised us peace, but delivered war instead. If you control Meridian, and I believe you can, will you use it for us? For the angaran?”</p>
<p>”I’ll use it for <em>everyone</em>.” Sara insists. And it’s true. She’ll be damned if the Archon destroys the only home she has left. And if the angaran are going to be their neighbors, and they will be since they were here first and there ain’t no going back to the Milky Way, might as well make the neighbors happy. The angaran didn’t deserve the hell they’ve suffered under the Kett. </p>
<p>”For <em>everyone</em>.” She repeats, putting every ounce of determination and conviction as she can in her voice.</p>
<p>“Everyone.” She repeats again, her voice cracking.</p>
<p>Moshae Sjefa squeezes Sara’s arm in comfort, “I believe you. And for all of us, I sincerely hope you’ll succeed.”</p>
<p><br/>—————</p>
<p>“You should have <em>told me</em>!” was the first thing Sara heard when she and Vetra walked into the resistance’s headquarters. </p>
<p>“Moshae, you must understand.” Evfra pleads.</p>
<p>”Tell me, Evfra, and help me understand.” The Moshae replies. Evfra notices Sara’s presence, and immediately straightens his posture.</p>
<p>”Get out!” He orders, “This is none of your concern.”</p>
<p>”Oh I do believe it is.” Moshae Sjefa beckons Sara over, “Come, Pathfinder, we are discussing the Archon.”</p>
<p>”Please, Moshae, she is...”</p>
<p>”The reason I am here.” The Moshae interrupts, “She has gained my trust. Is that enough for you, or are you starting to doubt my words?”</p>
<p>”Never!” Evfra vehemently states, “It’s just her kind...”</p>
<p>”Evfra,” Moshae Sjefa interrupts again, “if the Pathfinder was like you, she would’ve assumed we were all as stubborn and rude as you and would’ve written us off as a species the moment she met you . However, she has shown more respect than you. I expect you to show her the same courtesy.”</p>
<p>”Yes, Moshae.” Evfra bows his head.</p>
<p>Sara decides then and there that the Moshae is a demigod, second only to the Lordess Vetra.</p>
<p>”So, uh, what’s going on?” Sara asks.</p>
<p>”Evfra and I were discussing the next steps you should take in acquiring the relic from the Archon,” the Moshae explains, “and he let it slip certain details on how I was captured.”</p>
<p>”Such as?” Sara asks.</p>
<p>“The fact that one of my own bodyguards <em>helped with my capture</em>!” Moshae Sjefa leans towards Evfra, “and he failed to tell me when I first saw him.”</p>
<p>”We had no <em>proof</em>!” Evfra raises his voice, “And I didn’t exactly know how to bring it up! What should I have said?” He sweeps one arm out, “‘Oh, hello Moshae. Tis great to see your escape from the Kett! And by the way, we suspect Vehn Terev of treason and orchestrating your capture.’”</p>
<p>”Do <em>not </em>take that tone of voice with me, Evfra.” The Moshae points a finger toward him.</p>
<p>”This Vehn Terev, did he work closely with the Kett?” Sara frowns.</p>
<p>”We suspect.” Says Evfra, “It’s why we were discussing him. We think he may have details on where the relic is or where it might be.”</p>
<p>”Where is Vehn being held?” </p>
<p>”He isn’t.” Evfra states, “Once he got wind of us closing in on him, he fled to Kadara. Which, by the way, is ruled by <em>your </em>exiles.” He cuts a look toward the Moshae, “I mean, by the Initiative’s exiles.”</p>
<p>”So I go to Kadara and bring Vehn here and then we ask him questions.” Sara says. “Nicely.”</p>
<p>”She means ‘nicely’” Vetra says with air quotes.</p>
<p>”That will work.” Moshae Sjefa says, “You go and bring him back. Meanwhile, Evfra and I still aren’t done.”</p>
<p>”You know,” Sara says to Vetra as they head to the Tempest. “She’s either w demigod or a prophet in my religion. I can’t decide.”</p>
<p>”Demigod definitely.” Vetra replies, “She’s got <em>big </em>balls.”</p>
<p>—————</p>
<p>“It’s not <em>contagious </em>Kallo.” Suvi says as Sara enters the bridge, “And besides, it’s healing.”</p>
<p>”Still,” Kallo sniffs, “don’t come near me until it’s all gone.”</p>
<p>”Do I want to know?” Sara asks out loud.</p>
<p>”Did you know, back in the real, <em>real </em>old days, I’m talking like, before electricity,” Suvi says excitedly, turning in her chair to face Sara, “scientists would come up with really weird experiments to tests the composition of rocks and ore. Touch, putting it in different liquids to test reactivity, smell, and even taste!” Sara’s never seen Suvi look this excited.</p>
<p>A beat of silence is broken by Sara saying, “You licked a rock, didn’t you.”</p>
<p>”I don’t know.” Suvi sniffs, turning to face forward, “Maybe.”</p>
<p>”And now she’s got this <em>wretched </em>infection in her mouth.” Kallo says shrewdly, “I don’t want to chance getting it.”</p>
<p>”Oh hush, you just don’t want to pass anything onto Gil and ruin his mouth.” Suvi retorts.</p>
<p>Kallo shrieks and covers his ears, “I am living in a <em>nightmare </em>that is <em>inescapable</em>!”</p>
<p>Cora rushes on the deck, “Sara! I’ve got news on the asari ark!” </p>
<p>”You’ve heard news?” Suvi asks.</p>
<p>”Sort of.” She explains, “I got an email from the Voeld. A colonist by the name of Hydaria showed up stumbling to the outpost injured. Said she was part of an escape pod from the ark.”</p>
<p>”Escape pod?” Sara asks.</p>
<p>”Yea, get this: she said they were attacked by aliens she later identified as the Kett. Said Sarissa gave an evacuation order.”</p>
<p>”Where was the ark when it was attacked?”</p>
<p>”She doesn’t know, but I bet if we find the wreckage of the escape pod we can trace the transponder from where the ship originated.”</p>
<p>”Wait, how does she not remember where the ark is?” asks   Liam.</p>
<p>”Oh I don’t know,” retorts Cora sarcastically, “maybe the fact that she was <em>in stasis </em>when the attack occurred might be a clue.”</p>
<p>”Woah,” Liam puts his arms up in surrender, “I didn’t mean it like that.”</p>
<p>”You’re taking this a bit too personally. What’s the real story?” Drack questions.</p>
<p>”I’m a trained asari commando.” Cora hysterically explains, “I trained under them for <em>years</em>. I’ve lived with them, loved them, cared for them. Just because <em>certain asari </em>on this ship don’t care about them doesn’t mean I don’t!”</p>
<p>“Hey!” yells Peebee, “For one, I didn’t do anything to you, so jump off my dick. And for two, just because I’m asari doesn’t automatically mean I give a shit!”</p>
<p>”Well, <em>you should</em>!” Cora yells back.</p>
<p>“Cora, simmer the fuck down and go to your room.” Vetra interjects, “Peebee, go to your escape pod. Sara, plot a course for Voeld.”</p>
<p>All three in question just stare at Vetra.</p>
<p>”<em>Now</em>!” Vetra stresses, and the three do just that.</p>
<p>—————</p>
<p>“Well,” Liam says with a shiver in his voice, “I think it’s a couple degrees warmer here than it was last time we were here.”</p>
<p>”Just a couple more hundred years and my knees won’t hurt from the cold.” Drack grumbles.</p>
<p>They find the wreck of the escape pod. Bad news: the transponder is  horribly damaged. Good news: with careful examination, the data can be extracted. Bad news part two: it will take some time. All news delivered from SAM.</p>
<p>Cora collapses in the snow next to the wreckage. </p>
<p>”I just, I thought this would be it. We would find the asari. We would find my friends.”</p>
<p>Peebee sits next to her, “We will.” She says as she puts a hand in Cora’s shoulder. Cora grabs that hand with one of her own.</p>
<p>”I keep trying to think of Alec would do.” She says softly. “He would know what to do, he always  knew how to act.”</p>
<p>Sara scoffs, “He probably faked it. I mean, you should see him at family reunions.” She tries to go for cheerfulness, “He never knew how to act <em>then</em>.” Cora laughs.</p>
<p>”We don’t need him anyway.” Drack adds, placing his hand on Cora’s other shoulder, “The Archon might have an army, but we have our <em>own </em>personal army. A degenerate, insane army that seems to defy all laws, but an army nonetheless.” He pats her shoulder. “Fucker should look out.”</p>
<p> </p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. whiskey is the devils drink</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This one gets a little explicit at the end<br/>Sorry for the delay, I got hooked on bioshock again. Had to play 1 and 2 again and finally played infinite. 1 and 2 are the best btw.<br/>Not beta read.<br/>This one might be a little short. I just wanted to get this one out<br/>Also, sorry for any wonky typos. I type this up on mobile and auto correct is a bitch</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sara’s walking with Vetra out of the crew quarters on the Tempest when Gil ninjas out of nowhere and drags them both into the kitchen.</p><p>”I need to talk to you! Preferably without that one,” He whispers ferociously to Sara while pointing at Vetra, “but I can’t be choosy right now!”</p><p>”Why are we whispering?” Sara asks, “Is this a secret? A surprise? Are you finally giving into your lust for Kallo?”</p><p>”Dear god!” He shrieks while throwing his hands in the air, “Not you too! I’m here having an existential <em>crisis </em>and you are <em>mocking me</em>!”</p><p>”Crisis?” Vetra raises an eyebrow.</p><p>”<em>Yes</em>!” He looks around nervously, “Have you ever thought about have kids?” The question comes out as a whisper.</p><p>”<em>What</em>?!” Now it’s Sara’s turn to shriek, “What!”</p><p>”You do realize,” Gil clasps his hands behind his back and paces back and forth, “The human colonists that came over are the only humans in Andromeda.”</p><p>”Uh, yeah.” She says slowly.</p><p>”Which means,” he stops and stares at her, “in order to save the human race here in Andromeda, we have essentially been sent here. To have sex. And reproduce. Kids! They want us to have <em>kids</em>!”</p><p>Alarm bells start to ring in her head while Vetra laughs like a donkey, “I mean,” she waves her hands around, “yeah but we gotta get our shit straight first!” She really hadn’t thought of that aspect of her life. Fuck, she can’t even take care of herself right now!</p><p>”But after that!” He repeats the gesture, “We are like guinea pigs in a really bad porno!”</p><p>”Oh my god.” Sara looks up at the ceiling.” Vetra wipes her eye from the tear she just laughed out.</p><p>”Exactly!” Gil exclaims while pointing at her, “First off I don’t know how to be a dad! My dad left when I was, like, two! I don’t have proper context to be a dad! And I’m gay! Last I checked male pregnancy wasn’t a thing! Sara!” He screeches, “<em>How am I supposed to do this</em>?!”</p><p>”Okay, it’s,” she flaps her hands around like a baby bird, “it’s going to be okay? I mean, there are vids and stuff on how to be a dad! And I mean, Drack’s a grandfather so he has to have experience!”</p><p>”You honestly expect me to take parenting lessons from <em>Drack</em>?!” He exclaims. “Were you dropped on your head as an infant?!”</p><p>”Okay point taken!” She says, “And there are work arounds to the whole gay thing! Like in vitro or something!”</p><p>”What woman would willingly spawn my child?”</p><p>”How about Jill? I mean,  you two are pretty tight. She’ll understand the whole dad and gay thing.” Vetra adds.</p><p>He, at first, stares at her like she has five heads and ten arms. Then, it slowly morphs into relief and idolation.</p><p>”Vetra, you are a <em>genius!” </em>Gil gasps out.</p><p>”I try.” She nods her head as if she’s a wise sage.</p><p>—————</p><p>“So, Evfra says our contact is a human named Shena.” Jaal says as they walk onto the commons on Kadara. “This port is angaran, but all of the residents here are exiles.”</p><p>”So like a prison planet.” Peebee states.</p><p>”Yes. As you can imagine, there was a power struggle the minute the Initiative exiles came here. This part of the planet is run by a former Nexus security guard named Sloane. The rest of the planet is a free for all.”</p><p>”This sounds like a lovely vacation destination.” Liam mutters.</p><p>Jaal rolls his eyes, “You are to meet Shena at a bar called Kralla’s Song.”</p><p>”Obviously not alone.” Cora states.</p><p>”Obviously.” from Liam.</p><p>”Not me.” Vetra adds, “Drack and I have a prior commitment.”</p><p>“Do I even want to know?” Sara asks.</p><p>”Nope.” Drack and Vetra answer simultaneously while walking away.</p><p>”I’m going to stay out here.” Peebee says, “Look at all the shops!”</p><p>Sara thinks her life has now turned into a joke as she walks into Kralla’s song. Jaal, Liam, Cora and the Pathfinder walk into a bar...</p><p>She walks up to the bar and orders something she hopes is innocent while leaning against the bar.</p><p>”You look you’re waiting for someone.” A voice says behind her. She turns around to see a tanned skinned, very fine gentleman sliding in beside her. He smiles and leans against the bar.</p><p>”Depends.” Sara answers, taking a sip of her drink.</p><p>“On what?” The stranger asks.</p><p>”On what you have to say.” She replies while raising an eyebrow, “and if I like it.”</p><p>The stranger laughs while raising the drink he just received, “I’m Shena, and what is yours?”</p><p>”You can call me Ryder.”</p><p>”Ah good. Name’s Reyes. I hate code names.” </p><p>Sara laughs, “You are a horrible spy.”</p><p>”Not really a spy, just a person with connections.” He says, “But, to business. You are here for Vehn Terev, yes?”</p><p>”That I am. I heard you’re the man that knows how to get to him.”</p><p>”That I am.” Reyes replies while swirling his drink. “There’s been a slight hitch in the plan. He’s been arrested.”</p><p>”For what?”</p><p>”Betraying the Moshae.”</p><p>”What? Really?” Sara asks.</p><p>”Yes. Kadara is an angaran port first and foremost. The Moshae is well loved, and Sloane is a woman of the people.” Reyes replies.</p><p>“So she arrested him out of the goodness of her heart?”</p><p>”No, and she wouldn’t do that if she had a heart.” Reyes laughs, “It’s more like a PR stunt. See, Sloane rules the port. She wants to keep it that way, so she does what the people want. And the people want his head.”</p><p>Great. Sara grimaces, “So you’re telling me the chances of bringing him back to Aya are nil.”</p><p>”Unfortunately.” Reyes smiles, “But I bring good news. I know to how get him out. Or you can talk to Sloane. Maybe you can sweet talk into getting your way.” He winks, “You’ve got the looks for it.”</p><p>“What’s the chance of that happening?”</p><p>”One in a million. She won’t give up easily but maybe you have ways to convince her?”</p><p>”Right.” Sara told her eyes. Even Liam isn’t this fucking corny with his optimistic self. “What’s your method?”</p><p>Reyes is undeterred, leaning towards her until there is literally no space between them. “I haven’t finished ironing it out.” He reaches to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, “You go talk to Sloane and then we’ll meet up afterwards.” He winks again and walks away.</p><p>Of course, he walks away without paying for his drink.</p><p>”I don’t like him.” Liam says as he and Cora come and stand with with Sara as she pays for both drinks.</p><p>”Why’s that?” Sara asks distractedly, finishing up paying. Cora laughs.</p><p>”You mean other than him throwing himself on you?” </p><p>Liam huffs. It should’ve occurred to Sara that Liam watched that whole exchange earlier but she was on Pathfinder business and blinded by his cliche flirting. </p><p>”Don’t worry,” Cora stage whispers while patting Liam’s shoulder, “I don’t think he’s her type.” Liam huffs again.</p><p>”Anyway,” Sara redirects, “I’m off to go have a chat with Sloane.”</p><p>”Again, we are coming.” Cora states.</p><p>”I don’t think Sloane will appreciate that.”</p><p>”I really don’t give a rat’s ass.” Liam says.</p><p>”I pray to Vetra that we get out of this without getting shot.” Sara sends a thousand prayers Vetra’s way.</p><p>”Amen.” Cora agrees.</p><p>“Your little crush on Vetra is <em>weird</em>.” Liam says to dual glares.</p><p>”<em>Philistine</em>!” Cora hisses.</p><p>—————</p><p>“Ah, the Initiative’s lapdog with her two lapdogs.” Sloane says coolly while relaxing in her chair like a queen. Sara tries not to take the bait but it’s <em>so fucking hard</em>.</p><p>”The one and only. Should I bow?” Cora nudges Sara with her shoulder. </p><p>”The smart one isn’t Pathfinder I see.” Sloane says, “To what do I owe this pleasure?”</p><p>”You have an angaran prisoner. I wish to take him back to Aya.” Sara says.</p><p>”You’ll have to be a bit more specific, dear. I have <em>many </em>angaran prisoners.” </p><p>”Vehn Terev.”</p><p>Sloane sighs like it’s such an awful inconvenience. “Unfortunately, that one is unavailable. Can I interest you in another?” Sloane sweeps her arm in a grand gesture.</p><p>“No, I need Terev.” Sara says firmly.</p><p>“Are you deaf as well as stupid? I told you you can’t.”</p><p>Sara grits her teeth. She didn’t think it was possible to hate someone more than Addison but she’s found a very strong contender. “And why is he unavailable?”</p><p>”My people want him dead, and I plan on fulfilling their wish.” Sloane explains.</p><p>Sara scoffs. “Like you care about the wants and needs of you people.” Liam grabs her arm and pulls her back toward him.</p><p>”I see why the Initiative makes sure you have your two bodyguards as your tongue will surely get you <em>killed.</em>” Sloane growls as Liam steps in front of Sara. “Ooh.” She coos, “Take your job seriously?”</p><p>”A little.” Liam says.</p><p>”Anyway,” Sloane says, “since I’m such a <em>nice </em>person, I’ll make you a deal. I’ll let you talk to him before I cut off his head.”</p><p>”And what will <em>you </em>get out of it?” Sara asks.</p><p>”<em>You </em>will support my reign here. See, this imposter calling himself The Charlatan is challenging my throne and I don’t like that. Now, if I have the support of the <em>illustrious </em>Pathfinder, I could quash it. You get to talk to Terev, and I get to take out my competition. What do you say?” Sloane asks.</p><p>A snowball’s chance in <em>hell</em>. “I think I’ll take my chance.” Sara bows. “Your <em>Highness.”</em></p><p>“Sara, what the fuck was that?” Liam whispers ferociously as they leave, grabbing her arm . “You could have been hurt. Or <em>killed</em>.”</p><p>”I didn’t like her attitude.”</p><p>”Yeah that makes two of us but you didn’t see <em>me </em>mouthing off.” Cora retorts.</p><p>”Next time, Sara, for the love of god be a little more careful.” Liam pleads.</p><p>Sara waves her hand dismissively. “That part of my life is over.” Liam rolls his eyes as they walk up to Reyes in the commons.</p><p>”I take it that your meeting didn’t go well?” Reyes asks.</p><p>”You could put it that way.” Mutters Cora.</p><p>”Your stunning good looks didn’t work?” Reyes inquires as Liam glares.</p><p>”Reyes I didn’t hit on her.” Sara says. </p><p>”Pity, it would have worked on me.” He winks.</p><p>”Ow, Liam, what the fuck?” Sara squeals, pushing Liam away and rubbing her arm from where he had it in a death grip. Cora nudges Liam with her shoulder. They both glare at each other.</p><p>Reyes smirks. “I found another way.” He raises a vial of green liquid. “Poison. It should melt the bars of the holding cell clean off. Won’t harm you, of course. You go in via the maintenance shaft, melt the bars, bring him back out the same way and I shall have one of my resistance contacts pick him up.”</p><p>”A maintenance shaft? Really?” Whines Sara.</p><p>”Unfortunately.” He does not look sorry.</p><p>—————</p><p>Sara finds Vehn alone in the holding cells. He’s sitting on a bench, facing perpendicular to the cell bars. He’s looking down at his hands that are resting in his lap.</p><p>“Vehn Terev?” Sara asks as she walks up the cell.</p><p>Vehn snorts. “As if you don’t know.” </p><p>”I’m Sara Ryder, human Pathfinder. I’m here to take you to Evfra and the Resistance, provided you give me the answers I want.”</p><p>“This is a new interrogation tactic.” Vehn raises an eyebrow.</p><p>”Well, it’s your only option that doesn’t involve death, so take your pick.”</p><p>Vehn sighs. “Evfra is an honorable person. I suppose it’ll be preferable to losing my head. Ask your questions.”</p><p>“Why’d you do it? Sell out the Moshae?”</p><p>Vehn turns towards her and looks surprised. “You know, you’re the first person to ask me that. Everyone else immediately wanted to kill me.” He bows his head again. “Naivety and good intentions.”</p><p>The road to hell and all that. “What were your intentions?”</p><p>He looks up with desperation and despair etching his entire face, “The Kett were taking my friends! Killing my family!” He gets up, walks to the front of the cell and gets on his knees. “Please, you must understand this! I thought,” He looks down, “They kept demanding the Moshae. I thought that’s the only thing they wanted and that’s why they were hunting my people!” He looks back up again. “I thought if I gave them the Moshae they would stop.” He grips the cell bars. “Pathfinder, <em>please</em>! I had <em>no idea </em>what they were doing to my people until it was too late!”</p><p>Sara kneels down to look him in the eye. “Where’s the ship now?”</p><p>”I never actually saw the ship.” He explains. “They gave me a transponder to communicate with them.”</p><p>”Where is it now?” </p><p>”When I found out they were going to arrest me I buried it right outside the city.”</p><p>Sara blinks. “That’s...why?”</p><p>He looks just as confused as she is. “So...” He says slowly as if she’s stupid, “There would be a method of contacting him.”</p><p>Sara blinks again and says slowly as if he is the stupid one (which he is in her opinion), “How would that help you if you buried it and told no one and then you were executed?”</p><p>Vehn blinks. “Valid point.” </p><p>”Whatever.” Sara says as she pulls out the poison. “Give me the navpoint and stand back. I’m not exactly quick to trust the word of a dude that can’t flirt right.”</p><p>—————</p><p>They hand Vehn off to Reyes’ contact, and they’re about to go off to find the transponder when they pass the worst policemen ever. </p><p>”This is like, the <em>seventh </em>body this week <em>so far</em>!” One stage whispers to the other so loud that the entire commons can hear them. “Do you think this is The Charlatan?”</p><p>“It certainly looks like it! Look how mutilated the body is!” The other exclaims. Reyes scoffs.</p><p>”As <em>if</em>!” He mutters under his breath.</p><p>“Why’s that?” Sara asks.</p><p>”The Charlatan is much more discrete than that. However, he may change his M.O. now that Sloane has taken to announcing to the whole commons things such as come join us and lies that they will take care of you.”</p><p>”Aaand, you know this how?” Cora drawls.</p><p>Reyes leans forward and winks. “It’s my job to know everything.” He straightens up. “I must look into these murders before this interferes with my business. Come find me in the under city when you’re able to.”</p><p>—————</p><p>“50 credits says I can drink this water.” Drack says out loud when they exit the city.</p><p>“No!”Comes Lexi’s shriek through Drack’s Omni-tool. “I’ve been monitoring your omni-tool because I <em>knew </em>you were going to do something like that! That water is sulfuric acid, Drack! That means, <em>don’t drink it</em>!”</p><p>”Spoil sport.” He mutters.</p><p>’Right outside the city’, according to Vehn’s vocabulary, does not mean right outside the city. “Right outside the city”, according to Vehn, means taking the Nomad and driving over mountains, Kett, and exiles. Sara is determined to have a talk with Vehn after this.</p><p>They find the house and the little garden plot that the transponder is buried under. It’s there, but the transponder is damaged and is completely dead. Sara sends it up to Gil to see what he can do.</p><p>She figures that she can clean up this planet in the meantime. Starting with the acidic water, which means...</p><p>”Fuck this!” Peebee calls out as Sara walks up to the purification console. “Next time, I’m staying on the Tempest!”</p><p>“RUN!” Sara calls out as the murder fog descends upon them.</p><p>—————</p><p>With nothing better to do while the transponder is being worked on, Sara figures they can look into the murders that has Reyes personally offended. She pretends that she’s a murder detective like in those novels she was a fan of at 13.</p><p>Reyes has made his home at some strip club in the city below the city. Peebee is looking in awe at everything but Reyes and Sara. In stark contrast, Liam’s next to Sara with his arms crossed, looking for extremely uncomfortable and trying to avoid looking everywhere but Reyes and Sara.</p><p>“For someone who has seen Sara naked, you sure do look uncomfortable around naked people.” Cora teases and Liam sputters.</p><p>”I am not uncomfortable around naked people.” Liam states.</p><p>”You’ve seen the Pathfinder naked?” Pipes Reyes, looking hopeful. “Tell me <em>all </em>about it.” Liam sputters.</p><p>”Multiple times.” Vetra adds. “I count four.” And now it’s Sara’s turn to choke.</p><p>”How do you <em>know that?!</em>” Liam insists, mouth agape.</p><p>”Who are we talking about naked?” Peebee finally adds to the conversation after oogling a Turian dancing in a cage.</p><p>”Sara and Liam.” Vetra answers and Peebee waves her hand like it’s no big deal.</p><p>”Oh yeah,” Peebee says offhandedly, “They’ve fucked three times.” </p><p>”You guys are <em>counting</em>?” Liam asks, mouth still open.</p><p>”Four.” Vetra says. Peebee raises an eyebrow and Reyes looks intrigued.</p><p>”Nights, or what counts as nights in this galaxy, can get very lonely.” Cora states.</p><p>”Or they’re just two horny people. Which, if you need a piece of meat for your sandwich I’ll be happy to oblige.” Peebee offers.</p><p>”We are here about dead bodies and we are discussing my sex life!” Sara exclaims while throwing her hands in the air. “These two things do not belong!”</p><p>”Anyway,” Reyes begins while smirking. “I think the murders are committed by the Roekaar.”</p><p>”That would make sense.” Jaal adds. “Kadara Port is run by aliens. The Roekaar would be very insulted by that.”</p><p>”Exactly.” Reyes says. “Your SAM can scan the evidence from one of the recent killings to confirm my suspicions.”</p><p>“The police around here would allow us to view the evidence?” Sara asks.</p><p>”It’s not in the city. It’s in the mountains. I think the body is still there.” Says Reyes.</p><p>”Eww.” Peebee says while scrunching up her nose.</p><p>Sure enough, the body of the victim, a Krogan, was still sprawled out on the floor. Sara looks at Drack who shrugged “Not one of mine.”</p><p>It didn’t take long to figure out how he died: the frontal plate was pried off before he was shot.</p><p>The crime scene could have been straight out of a Nancy Drew mystery: three sets of angaran footprints, angaran blood left at the scene, and a knife written in angaran language.</p><p>”This was entirely too easy.” Cora states. “It’s like they want us to find them.”</p><p>”Are they regular angaran or Roekaar?” Sara asks.</p><p>”I cannot determine political affiliation from DNA.” SAM unhelpfully adds.</p><p>”Gee thanks.” Sara snorts.</p><p>They comm Reyes, who directs them to a known Roekaar hideout. Of course, Reyes isn’t there.</p><p>”Of course he isn’t here.” Liam mutters.</p><p>They get ambushed and taken to their leader, Farah. Farah monologues about evil aliens taking over their world before Reyes busts in.</p><p>”Sorry I’m late!” He calls out while running up.</p><p>”Better have a good reason.” Sara hisses.</p><p>”You’ll find out in three...two...one!” And like an action movie, a bomb goes off. They fight and of course, they win.</p><p>“That was fun!” Reyes exclaims afterwards. </p><p>”Oh yeah.” Sara replies sarcastically while trying to rub blood off of her suit. “I bring the <em>good times</em>.”</p><p>”So I hear.” Reyes leers at her while Liam glares. “If you ever want to have some more fun, come meet me at the bar again.” Reyes winks and leaves.</p><p>”Why,” Sara says out loud while getting into the Nomad, “has my life been one big whole cliche? Cliche murder mystery, cliche action movie, cliche flirting.” She inputs commands to extract to the Tempest. “What else?”</p><p>”Cliche jealousy.” Cora answers. “Liam looked like he wanted to absolutely <em>kill </em>Reyes for flirting with Sara. It was so romantic.”</p><p>”Oh my god.” Peebee says while clutching her imaginary pearls. “It was so <em>hot</em>. Like, don’t you touch my girlfriend! Mine!”</p><p>”We are not <em>dating!</em>” Liam insists. Vetra pats his shoulder sympathetically.</p><p>”If you say so.” She says solemnly.</p><p>”Oh my god you guys.” Sara moans while stabbing the controls harder. “<em>Stop</em>!”</p><p>”Cliche rom com moments.” Cora stage whispers.</p><p>”Rom com?” Jaal asks.</p><p>”A genre of film and movie from the Milky Way.” Vetra explains. “Plots of some books and movies include the main character and the love interest thinking they’re not dating but they actually are. Things like, oh I don’t know.” Vetra looks pointedly at Liam. “Buying a necklace for them, being the person SAM calls on when the other is in danger, being upset when they think is in love with another, being so obvious they’re are bets on when they get together, literally being together <em>all the time!”</em></p><p>”Don’t forget the sex!” Peebee adds in excitedly. “Multiple times!”</p><p>”And having sex multiple times.” Vetra is still staring holes into Liam.</p><p>”Oh my god.” Sara shrieks and gets on the comm to the Tempest. “GIL! ANYTIME WOULD BE GREAT!”</p><p><br/>—————</p><p>Liam spends the night in her quarters again and the next morning Vetra holds five fingers and smirks when she sees her. Sara ignores her and deletes the 15 missed messages from Reyes.</p><p>“Reyes, you know people have lives, right?” She tells him on the return vidcall.</p><p>”Pfft. You’re a Pathfinder! Your life is to come to the aid at everyone’s beck and call!”</p><p>Sara rolls her eyes. “What do you want?”</p><p>Reyes grins. “A date!”</p><p>”Excuse me?” Sara replies with a raised eyebrow.</p><p>”I didn’t mean like that.” Sara highly doubts that. “Sloane is hosting a party tonight and yours truly needs a date.”</p><p>”Why me?”</p><p>”You represent the Initiative! What better way to say you are a woman of her people then trying to mend bridges!” Sara highly doubts that as well. </p><p>”You mean you want me to be a cover for something.”</p><p>”Never!” Reyes exclaims. “Just think how angry Sloane will be when she sees you there.”</p><p>”I’m in.”</p><p>Sara ends the call and walks into cargo bay to talk to Vetra. She probably shouldn’t, but she starts with yelling, “Vetra! I’m going on a not-date with Reyes. I need your input on what to wear.”</p><p>Vetra, who is working on something near her quarters, turns around but Liam, who’s working on something on the Nomad, speaks up first with a high pitched squeal, “<em>Excuse me</em>?!”</p><p>”It’s not like that.” Sara says very fast and very desperately. “It’s just to piss off Sloane.”</p><p>”<em>Excuse me</em>?!”</p><p>Vetra walks over, lays a hand on Liam’s shoulder (who’s still she’ll shocked), stares at Sara with a straight face and says, “Sara, can you restart the conversation, preferably without giving poor Liam here a heart attack.”</p><p>“Reyes called me and asked me to go to Sloane’s party.”</p><p>”Why?” Vetra asks.</p><p>”Says he wants me to represent the Initiative, but I think he wants me to cover for something. I’m going to piss off Sloane.”</p><p>”Yeah, he wants you to cover his <em>dick</em>.” Liam hisses with venom in his voice. Vetra squeezes his shoulder.</p><p>”I’m sure it’s not like that.”</p><p>”It’s <em>not</em>!” Sara insists. “I came down to see what to wear to show that we are not on a date.” Liam still doesn’t look convinced. “I promise!”</p><p>Vetra, who still has a grip on Liam’s shoulder, says “I’ll go to make sure nothing hinky goes on.”</p><p>”<em>I’ll </em>go.” Liam states. Vetra shakes him a little.</p><p>”No. One, you reek of good boy Initiative. Two, you reek of jealously and will do something stupid.”</p><p>Liam still doesn’t look convinced about all of this but doesn’t protest. He glares at Vetra and Sara and turns back to the Nomad. Vetra looks pointedly at Liam but turns and steers Sara to her quarters. It takes about an hour, but they decide on a pair of fitted khakis and a long light blue short sleeved shirt. </p><p>Liam’s still ignoring her and Vetra still gives him a look, but the two depart and meet Reyes in front of Sloane’s club.</p><p>”Oooh.” Reyes coos when he sees them. “I get a two for one special tonight.”</p><p>Vetra gives him a look. “Touch me, and I’ll have your nuts in a vice grip.” She says flatly.</p><p>That does not faze Reyes. “Don’t threaten me with a good time.” Vetra smirks.</p><p>A Turian named Kaetus is playing bouncer and seems to know Vetra.</p><p>”Aah, Vetra. You’re looking lovely tonight.” He kisses her hand.</p><p>”Kaetus, <em>very </em>lovely to see you.” Vetra purrs and saunters you to him. “I assume we’re on the invitation list?”</p><p>Kaetus lowers his eyes and replies, “Anything for you. Come to my room later?”</p><p>”Oh my god.” Sara says to the sky.</p><p>Vetra runs a finger along his chest, “I’ll be there after the party.”</p><p>Still looking at the sky, Sara covers her eyes.</p><p>”Oh hush.” Vetra grabs Sara’s upper arm with one hand and gestures to her crotch area with the other. “Sometimes, a goddess has to use every weapon in her arsenal to get what she wants.”</p><p>”Oh my god.” Sara repeats. “Do I want to know for what?” She squeaks out the last part.</p><p>”It had to do with mine and Drack’s prior business.” Vetra whispers as she steers both Reyes and Sara into the party.</p><p>The party consists of a who’s who of all the shady characters in Kadara. Vetra, Sara, and Reyes spend approximately five minutes together before Reyes does exactly what Sara expects him to do.</p><p>”I will be right back.” He says.</p><p>”Aaaaand there it is.” Sara says as she takes a sip of some alcoholic drink. She looks at Vetra, “I told you he wanted me here as a patsy.”</p><p>”Nonsense!” Reyes exclaims, sweeping one hand in the air. “It’s a <em>surprise</em>. For all of us.” He looks around the room. “You don’t want to miss the surprise do you?” Sara sighs.</p><p>”You better make it a good surprise.” Vetra stares Reyes down.</p><p>”Only the best for my best friends!” He says as he practically skips away. Sara sighs again.</p><p>”Well, at least I’m not here by myself.” Sara says as she downs her drink. “Would have been awkward as <em>fuck</em>.”</p><p>Vetra laughs. “Come on, let’s go meet the shady fucks that call this port home.</p><p>The first person they (well, Sara) literally run into is Sloane herself. Sloane makes a disgusted noise and rolls her eyes.</p><p>”I need to tell Kaetus to comb through the guest list next time.”</p><p>”Hello, Sloane.” Vetra gives a pointed look to Sloane. “Nice to see you again.”</p><p>Sloane rolls her eyes again and walks away.</p><p>“Always lovely to see good hospitality.” Sara says under her breath.</p><p>They then meet Keema, who is the angaran ambassador to Kadara. They spend about a half an hour talking to her, and to their delight she actually is nice.</p><p>As they walk away from talking to Keema, Kaetus steps in front of them.</p><p>”You two better not cause trouble.” He glares. Vetra is unaffected. She gives him The Look, which Sara has named Vetra’s most commonly used look, which at first looks unimpressed but promises much pain if says stupidity is not fixed.</p><p>”Kaetus,” Vetra says, “what the fuck.” Kaetus looks around nervously, which is the usual response to The Look.</p><p>”Sloane reamed me for letting the Pathfinder in.” Kaetus explains, “I’m trying to save face.” </p><p>Vetra looks like she can’t decide how mad she wants to get.</p><p>”I’m just gonna,” Kaetus points the other way and leaves.</p><p>”Where the fuck is Reyes?” Sara asks, “This whole experience is painful.”</p><p>”Come on. Let’s go try to find him.”</p><p>It takes them a couple minutes to find him, and they find him in a room full of whiskey crates.</p><p>”What the fuck.” Sara says, startling Reyes. “I’m your patsy to steal whiskey?”</p><p>“Not just <em>any </em>whiskey.” Reyes says with his head in a box. “This is a 21st century, air aged, Turian brandy that’s been distilled 5 times under the full moon.”</p><p>Vetra gives him The Look and says, “Ok one, what the fuck. Two, that’s an utter bullshit sentence that makes no sense. And three, that better be good fucking alcohol.”</p><p>The noise from the party, which had been muted, suddenly becomes louder and a yell of “And get the blueberry brandy!” echoes down the hallway.</p><p>”Eat my ass!” A shout in response which sounds too close for comfort.</p><p>Reyes panics. “Quick! We need a distraction!”</p><p>Vetra dives and hides behind a wall, and before Sara can even fucking <em>comprehend </em>what is going on, Reyes grabs the front of her shirt and slams his mouth on hers.</p><p>Sara stumbles back, partly because of Reyes’ momentum and the other half is pure shock. He lifts her up, sets her on the crate behind her, cocks his head a little more to the right, and presses in.</p><p>Ok, Sara and Liam might have a thing going on, but Reyes is a good fucking kisser so of course she kisses back. He bites her lip and slides one hand up her back and the other grabs as much of her ass as possible.</p><p>Sara, who’s hands have been flailing at all the movement, settles her hands on his shoulders and hears the door slide open.</p><p>”What the fuck.” A bouncer says, grabbing a random bottle of alcohol, “get a fucking <em>room</em>!”</p><p>Reyes, still eating Sara’s face, takes the hand off of her ass and flips the bouncer off. The bouncer leaves with a muttered “<em>pervs“ </em>and the door slides shut.</p><p>Sara pushes Reyes back violently and slightly yells a “What the <em>fuck</em>?!”</p><p>Vetra steps out from her hiding place and says “What the fuck.” flatly.</p><p>”We needed to hide and you just stood there!” Reyes points at Sara accusingly, “So I improvised!”</p><p>”I would have moved <em>eventually</em>!” Sara points back, “You just didn’t give me enough time!”</p><p>Vetra gives him The Look, and says, “Touch her again and I’ll cut your dick off.”</p><p>Reyes reels back, “She kissed me <em>back</em>!” He spits out, “Why are you not yelling at <em>her</em>?”</p><p>Vetra’s still staring at Reyes, and says “That better be good fucking whiskey.”</p><p>It actually is good whiskey. The three of them, plus Kaetus, find themselves in the roof drinking from a 40 year old bottle of a whiskey that only had 20 bottles produced. Sara and Reyes are fucking drunk, and Vetra has been getting closer to closer to Kaetus with a smoldering look the more she drinks.</p><p>Vetra lays her head on Kaetus’ shoulder and smiles up at him, “I’m still gonna fuck you tonight, you know, but I have a little something to take care of before I do.”</p><p>Kaetus rubs his hand a little too high on her leg, “Yeah, what’s that?”</p><p>”One of my disciples,” Vetra says, gesturing drunkenly at Sara, “is going to be in hot water when she gets back to the Tempest. I need to diffuse the situation.”</p><p>Sara hiccups. “Wait what?”</p><p>Vetra sits up and levels a stare at Sara. “Liam.”</p><p>Sara throws herself backwards and covers her face. “Oh god <em>Liam!</em>”</p><p>Reyes waves the bottle around, “For what it’s worth, I didn’t mean it.” He hiccups.</p><p>”We don’t have to tell him?” Sara whines. “Do we?”</p><p>Vetra stares at Sara. “The guilt will eat you <em>alive.”</em></p><p>”Oh my god.” Sara squeaks out. “You’re right.”</p><p>”I know.”</p><p>Vetra pushes Sara into a bathroom later and tries her best to sober Sara up and make her presentable. “You stay here,” she points to the floor of the bathroom, “for ten minutes then transport up to the Tempest.”</p><p>Sara spends the next five minutes quietly panicking. Sure, they weren’t dating, but they had a little arrangement and Sara was maybe hoping to progress a little further.</p><p>She then vows revenge on Reyes. All over fucking <em>whiskey.</em></p><p>Sara takes a deep breath and transports to the Tempest.</p><p>—————</p><p>She materializes into cargo bay to see Vetra coming out of Liam’s storeroom. Sara mentally notes not to play poker against Vetra, who’s look gives nothing away.</p><p>She walks in to see Liam sitting on the floor in his uniform against the couch. His knees are bent, and he’s staring at the tv without really watching it. Sara sits down next to him and looks forward as well.</p><p>A few minutes of silence passes before he says, “There’s this really good place to eat Jaal told me about the last time we were on Aya.” He says quietly, still looking forward, “Want to go check it out?”</p><p>That...was unexpected. She looks at him. “What?”</p><p>Liam huffs and says curtly “Do you want to go get something to eat the next time we were on Aya?”</p><p>”Sure?” Sara says, more as a question. “No offense, but I was just not expecting for this conversation to go this way.”</p><p>Liam huffs again, still not looking at her, “Vetra says it’s bullshit for me to get jealous if we’re not actually dating.”</p><p>”Ok?”</p><p>Liam huffs and rolls his eyes. “This is me asking you on a date.”</p><p>Sara blinks. “So, we’re dating now?”</p><p>”Not until the third date.” He replies.</p><p>”What?” This conversation is taking a slow stroll into bizzaroland.</p><p>Liam stares at the ceiling. “Guy code. It’s not official until after the third date.”</p><p>”Bro code?” Sara’s never heard of that and Scott made damn sure to tell her every painful detail of his dates and sexcapades that she never wanted to hear.</p><p>”Well.” Liam smirks, “Between my friends and I.”</p><p>”Ah. I see.” Sara doesn’t. “So, we’re good?”</p><p>”Not quite.” He replies. Sara looks confused until Liam drags her up and bends her over the couch.</p><p>He pulls both of their pants to their feet and fucks her absolutely raw the first time. The second time, he lays her on the couch and fingers her and licks her and brings her to the edge of orgasm again and again until she’s begging him to let her cum. The third time he fucks her hard until her throat is sore from screaming.</p><p>Thank god for the ability to make rooms sound proof.</p><p>They’ve both got bruises and bite marks but they were both smart enough to put them in places that can be covered. She’s pretty sure she’s got cum in her <em>hair </em>and trying to figure out when the hell that happened when Liam, who’s laying on the floor next to her, laughs and says “Now we’re good.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
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